The Science of Love
by FuschiaBlossom
Summary: "Listen Leech, I kinda need some help in Biology, so will you tutor me?" Edward smirked and crossed his arms, "I'll only do it under one condition... I want you to ask me nicely." Full summary inside, pls R&R!
1. Chapter 1

Hi! Warning to Bella fans now; She's dead in this so don't expect her to pop up anytime soon. And when I say dead, I mean six feet under, not a newborn vampire that will miraculously show up near the end of the story. I'll be updating this regularly. Please Review and check out my other stories!

Disclaimer: Don't own Twilight, although I wish I owned Emmett, Jasper and Edward!

* * *

><p><strong><em>"Listen Leech, I kinda need some help in Biology, so will you tutor me?" He smirked and crossed his arms, "I'll only do it under one condition... I want you to ask me nicely." Leah Clearwater has had one hell of a year; her father died, Sam left her and now she's forced to be commanded by him constantly because she's in his pack! But after the past year's events, this she-wolf has decided to get her head down and recover what is left of the shattered disaster that is her education. But after one unfortunate grade, she realises that it may take more than a text book to help her solve this problem. Help comes at hand, a very cold, strong hand...<em>**

* * *

><p><strong>The Science of Love<strong>

I stared at the blindingly white envelope in my hands.

The lettering in block writing read: _'To Ms Leah Clearwater, Annual Report'_. My eyes never left the black ink on the otherwise white paper, and my heart pounded in my chest as my pen slid through the seal of the envelope, ripped it off and unleashed whatever successes or catastrophes that hid inside. I took a deep breath and set my pen onto the smooth surface of the old wooden table that my father had constructed for me long ago. I closed my eyes as I slowly took out the A4 page that would dictate my near future.

'_Inhale, exhale, inhale…' _

I opened my eyes and was immediately met with a creamy document made of firmer and more official paper; _not_ the sort that I could just grab from my printer. I stared at the black ink, the words not processing into my head as my mind refused to absorb any information.

'_What if I failed, then what would I do?' _

'_Was this a good idea in the first place?'_

I sighed, aggravated with myself; since when was I such a wuss? Leah Clearwater is no wuss! I wasn't scared of this measly little piece of paper; even if it was textured and fancy. I would not be made inferior to a piece of chopped, processed wood with ghastly black size 12 font.

_Hell no_.

I took a deep breath as my pep-talk sunk into me and then I gradually began to read the letter. Word after word slowly sunk in until my eyes widened as I processed this information.

"Oh my God!"

Suddenly there was a knock at my door and my annoying kid brother entered before I could reply to his pointless act of politeness.

"Hey, Lee, can I burrow your iPod, I swear I'll give it ba-,"

"I did it!" I exclaimed, completely disregarding his question. I leaped at Seth and engulfed him into a huge embrace and showered his face with kisses.

"Uhh, Leah are you alright?" Seth asked when I let go of him. I smiled, my cheeks were aching, but it didn't matter because I'd done it; I'd achieved the impossible.

"I am way more than alright, I am absolutely… just… wow! Seth I did it! _Look_ at this." I eagerly handed my brother the letter which he took gingerly, a glint of suspicion and curiosity in his big brown, innocent eyes. I stayed silent, watching as he read the letter, a huge grin invading his entire expression as he reached the end.

"Lee, you did it, you passed all your classes with flying colours! Leah that is so awesome, have you shown Jake?" I frowned and looked at him sceptically.

"Shouldn't you be asking whether I've shown our mother first?" I asked with a grin. I knew how much Seth admired Jake, he was the closest brother that Seth had in the pack and he thought of Jake as some kind of warped hero. It was truly beyond me why anyone would ever consider Jake to be heroic, but then; I always _was_ the one with sense in the family.

I felt myself beam once more as I took my report from Seth and read it again. I relished the surge of success that burned through my veins and was led straight to my head. I had finally done what I had planned to and it had gone perfectly well; the sensation of accomplishment could not have been more prominent in my system as I absorbed the words in front of me for the second time; not truly believing my eyes.

It had been just over a year since I had begun attending advanced classes at the high school in La Push. I had decided that after a year of mourning over my break-up with Sam and feeling sorry for myself, I was finally going to forget about him and move on with my life. I refused to be suffocated with regret and resentfulness any longer and instead I concluded that the best way to turn a new leaf would be to pick up the broken pieces that were my education. After the 'wolf' situation arose, I was left with no time at all in my schedule for school or friends or other normal activities. I was thrown into the deep end at such a high speed, it's a wonder I didn't get whiplash.

But, when I did return, it was not long before I melted into my daily routine, managing to balance my pack duties with my school work and family life. I now even had time to go see a movie with my kid brother twice a month. It was refreshing to know that although I would never be entirely normal, I could at least lead somewhat of a seemingly normal life.

I clutched my report with utter joy and reached the end of the letter for the second time. It was then that a huge wave of ice water flushed over me and washed away all the delight, the happiness; the pride.

My gaze locked on a sentence at the end.

"Oh my God, no, no, no no no no shit!" I exclaimed as I clutched the paper with both hands, not caring at all that the sides were creasing and almost tearing. _I was tearing on the inside_.

"What's the matter Lee?" Seth asked as he sat on my bed and stopped the music he was listening to with my earphones on my iPod. I felt my heart drown in a salty bitter sea of disappointment.

"I failed biology, Seth. The _one_ subject I need to get into a good med school and I failed it. Oh shit."

I sank down onto my bed as I glared miserably at the paper, as though if I stared hard enough the result would change. I couldn't believe it, after all of my hard work, I had managed to score highly on all of my subjects except the main one that I had needed. I had failed, not only in school but in _life_. I had hoped to go into medicine and, one day, even become a doctor. Once I realised that I could lead a life outside of La Push, I had become obsessed with trying my hardest to achieve this newly found dream. I'd been so close…

But then I'd failed.

I could almost see my dreams crumble into ash.

I ran a hand through my hair in frustration, and dumped the silly piece of paper on that old wooden desk. I closed my eyes, forcing the salty feel of approaching tears to remain on the inside. I hated crying, and I certainly wasn't about to cry in front of Seth.

"Lee, it's ok. So you didn't pass biology, that's not a huge deal, you could always do a retake right?" Seth whispered as he placed a gentle arm around my shoulders.

"Seth I didn't just _not pass_, I _failed_; completely. I just didn't know what to do, I really don't get it. It would take a miracle to get me to even pass biology." I answered anger rising up inside of me.

Why was I so useless? I had tried so hard to move on with my life and escape the past; erase it from my memory in order to make room for this new brighter future that I had been so convinced was in my reach. But then I had let it slip through my fingers; just as I did with everything else that I cared about.

My thoughts diverted to Sam. He had mocked me when Jacob had let it slip that I was taking the classes. He didn't think I would amount to anything, he said that all I needed to worry about was my duty to the pack and the people of La Push. _'Well screw him.' _I'd thought. On that day I gained a new motive to achieve the highest grades possible: _to prove Sam_ _wrong_.

But he had been right. I was utterly useless.

"Lee, you could always get a tutor. There has to be some around this place." Seth suggested.

I sighed, "Seth you know we can't afford to pay for a tutor, besides what teen science prodigy do you know that lives around here, huh?"

Seth's solemn expression became sly and mischievous; I knew that face, it was his 'idea' face. My brows furrowed and a frown reached my lips; that face was _never_ good news.

"Well… you could always ask Edward Cullen." Seth whispered cautiously. I felt my body freeze as I stared at my demented brother.

"Um Seth, what have you been taking? You must be totally insane or _high_ if you think that's funny." I said not believing his proposition.

Seth sighed, "Come on Leah, you know it would be a sensible thing to do. Edward's got a million medical degrees and Carlisle is a freakin' doctor for crying out loud; it's the perfect opportunity. The Cullen's aren't our enemies anymore Leah, we've worked with them; they're our friends."

"No Seth, they're _your_ friends, _no way_ some smelly, rotten, dead leech will ever be my friend, whether he eats babies or bunnies. That will never, ever happen and I will never, ever, _ever_ ask Edward 'thinks he's so smart' Cullen for help." I stated.

I got up and whilst I was heading towards my bathroom, ready to kick Seth out of my room so I could have a nice relaxing bath, I saw the white paper sitting on my desk. It sat there with its creamy white surface and staining black ink. I shook my head; no way was I going to ever ask a leech for help. I'd find a way to pass my re-take some other way… _any other way_.

But no way would anyone see the day when Leah Clearwater was reduced to requiring help from an enemy.

_That would never happen._

**Well, I admit I was quite sad for Leah in this, just when life was looking up… anyway thanks for reading and please review, ****Review Review Review! Please!**


	2. Chapter 2

Well, here it is the second chapter that you've all patiently waited for. As always I don't own any Twilight characters, although the storyline is very much mine.

PLEASE REVIEW, thank you to all my reviewers; they inspire me to upload more!

* * *

><p>Chapter 2<p>

It was quiet in the house, for I had been left alone after declining Carlisle's offer to join them all on the monthly family hike. It was one of the rare occasions when we all actually went on a hike, only it wasn't the mere miles that humans could endure. We would go on for kilometres and still have the energy to do more. It could be refreshing at times, but for the most part I considered it to be a depressing advantage; it was a representative of our immortal lives; we would live on and on and on. We would forever be living yet never changing, and it would be our punishment for unsettling the balances of nature. In the end, it was karma that had the last laugh.

I sighed as I thought of the meaningless void that was my existence. It had been a year since Bella's death and my family had recognised that when she'd died, a part of me had died with her and I would probably never be the same again. I knew it was true, I didn't _want_ to be the same person I was before, it would only set a trap for another disappointment. I had loved Bella so much, and now she was gone, I saw no purpose in my existence in the world. I wanted to end it all, and I would have, if not for my caring family. Although I had known that whatever soul we could ever possess was damned on the day of our death, I had not realised that I was doomed to suffer even as I still lived.

I walked towards my piano and sat down on the stool, my finger gracing the ivory keys as they automatically performed Bella's lullaby, and it was as though I wasn't playing it myself, but instead I had hit _play_ on a stereo. I let my mind fill with memories of her as the melody numbed my emotions and allowed me to manifest images of Bella in my mind. I felt my whole being flow with the music, like running water; I kept flowing and flowing…

There was a sudden knock at the door. My hands froze and I stood up from the stool. I could smell the werewolf scent before I saw its owner. I suspected it to be Seth who often came to visit, or possibly, though less likely, Jacob who was usually the bearer of bad news. I sighed as I was snapped out of my trance and dragged back into reality. I slowly made my way to the door and the persistent knocking got louder as the visitor grew impatient. The knocking stopped the exact moment that I reached the door; I suspected the person had given up and decided to leave, although I could still smell the strong, unappealing scent of a shifter. Hesitantly, I opened the door anyway, only to find someone I had very least of all assumed it to be.

"Leah?" I asked, although I knew exactly who she was and that my eyes were not deceiving me. The tall slender female turned, a scowl engraved into her expression as she crossed her arms fractiously.

"Well took you long enough! I've been standing here for _ages_." she complained, irritated.

I rolled my eyes, "No, you've been standing here for two minutes." I told her with a frown.

"Two minutes too long." She muttered.

I ran a hand through my hair frustratingly, "Look, I don't mean any offense, but why are you here?" Leah scowl was quickly accompanied by a death-eating glare that stilled me to my core. I raised my hands in defence.

"I don't mean anything by it." I said with a shrug.

I groaned inwardly, the one day that I would have been left alone to sink into my sorrows without worrying about how it affected my family, was being interrupted by this aggravating she-wolf. I considered this to be yet another one of karma's tricks, although I really did not know what I'd done in order to deserve it.

"Look leech, I don't _want_ to be here, but I need to talk to you about something important." She stated nonchalantly. She averted her gaze to our surroundings, refusing to meet my eyes. There was a long pause before I lost the ounce of patience that I'd had.

"Well, _what is it_?" I asked my tone shamefully bitter and severe. For a miniscule of a second, a look of hurt flitted across Leah's face, before it turned to anger and irritation, and I knew I couldn't exactly blame her.

"You know what you freakin' parasite, forget it. Forget I even came here, I knew I shouldn't have anyway." Leah shook her head and sauntered away. I ran my finger through my hair once more, it was only midday and I had already done this four times; I had a feeling I would be bald by the end of the day. I abruptly ran and stopped her path; she looked _livid_.

"What do you think you're doing?" she asked, her voice threatening as her arms started shaking. I raised a brow, somewhat worried as I tried to picture fighting this girl before me. I knew she was tough and strong, but I really didn't want to hurt her.

"Leah, I know that was rude of me and I am sincerely apologetic, I truly hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me."

Leah glared at me, her hands placed on her hips as she stood in a proud position with a judging glint in her brown eyes.

"Whatever." She responded reluctantly, though her face softened, if only slightly, and her body became less tense.

"What did you want to talk about?" I asked, now curious as to what would cause such a scene on this otherwise calm and peaceful day. Leah once again avoided my gaze as she mumbled her answer.

"I need help with something." My brows furrowed as I began to question what I had just heard. After all the restraint of blocking out her mind, I let myself look into it in order to see what possible situation would render her defenceless enough to ask me for help.

"Stop that, you're trying to rape my mind, aren't you? Quit it." she snapped irately. I stepped backwards as a wave of anger was directed towards me. I mumbled an apology and she rolled her eyes in response.

"I came here to ask you for he-, um, _something_." I nodded slowly, encouraging her to continue. She strolled towards a nearby tree and picked the vibrant green leaves off their branch.

"I've been taking these classes-,"

"At the high school on the Reservation? Seth told me about it."

She glared at me, her arm falling by her side. "Don't interrupt me leech." She said as somewhat of a warning.

"Yes I've returned to high school and I'm supposed to graduate in three months, but I can't do that unless I pass all my classes and that's the… issue. I didn't do very well in biology." She turned away from the tree and glanced at me sheepishly and for a moment I could have sworn I felt a tug at my chest as I absorbed this softer side of Leah. But it was only for a moment. Her usual charade returned with full force rapidly.

"I mean, I passed everything else of course, with flying colours even." She said with a proud, boastful tone that reminded me of Rosalie, though I knew that if I ever mentioned this to either of them, I would be quartered. Slowly and painfully.

"But it's just biology that I didn't do so well in. So anyway, I came here to ask if you could… um well… tutor me." Leah looked down at the ground, utterly ashamed of herself. I raised a brow, a small grin subconsciously found its way to my lips.

"What was that? Did you just ask me for help with biology?" I said smugly. She simply rolled her eyes in response, inspecting her nails with a sudden thorough interest.

"Just tell me your answer, will you do it or not?" she asked briskly.

I strolled over to her and when I came face to face to her, I was met with her strong scent of the woodsy nature with a hint of jasmine. It wasn't _utterly_ unpleasant. I looked at her squarely in the eye and crossed my arms in a demanding fashion. If she wanted my help, she would have to earn it.

"I'll only do it under one condition. I want you to ask me nicely." I answered. I watched as her eyes glazed over with irritation and her lips set to a line as she clenched her jaw.

"Fine, leech will you tutor me, yes or no?"

I laughed humourlessly.

"That wasn't very nice."

Leah squinted, "You're pushing your luck leech."

"And you're pushing yours, _Leah_. I know we are not best acquainted, but my name is _Edward_ not _leech_, and secondly if you want me to help you achieve the grades you want then the least you could do is ask me properly." I said with a shrug. Leah opened her mouth to respond but then reconsidered it. After a moment she sighed.

"Fine I'll ask you nicely. L-_Edward_, oh holy asshole, will you please tutor me with your never-ending intelligence?"

"Yes, Leah I will, though I don't appreciate the sarcasm." With that said I began walking towards my house once more. I then stopped when I realised she hadn't followed.

"Well, aren't you coming?" I asked confusedly. Leah seemed just as confused as I felt.

"Coming where?"

"You said you wanted to study didn't you?"

"_What_, but I didn't mean _now_."

"Why not now? My family is out so we'll be alone, and I don't know about you, but I don't feel like answering multiple questions concerning your presence here."

"But I didn't bring my books." She said awkwardly as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other.

"You don't need them; I'll enlighten you with my never-ending intelligence."I answered with a smug grin. Leah raised a brow, but the corners of her lips wavered as she resisted a smile.

"_Whatever_; lead the way then."

_**Thank you very much for reading! Now if you could just press the REVIEW button… that would be great thanks! ; D**_


	3. Chapter 3

Well, I decided to post this because I realise that it wouldn't be fair leave you guys hanging like that! So… because I've been so nice, I demand a fee… just a simple review! I want to reach 20 by the fourth chapter, please don't laugh at my pixelated face I know we can reach 20 reviews, you just need to make sure you click on that icon! Well anyway, here's the third chapter, ENJOY!

Disclaimer: You know the deal; I don't own anything but Edward Cullen's love…

Well actually no… not even that because apparently I gave that to Leah...

* * *

><p><strong><span>Chapter 3<span>**

I walked into the barren house with the she-wolf following close behind me. I listened to her soft careful steps and could sense her rigid posture and her alert senses. She was on edge, which was understandable, as her entire being was persuading her to get out of our territory because we were a threat to her safety. Leah's mind knew that I was not a threat to her, but she'd been created to simply destroy every vampire in her presence and she couldn't switch her instincts off.

I'd finally reached Carlisle's study; the ideal room to tutor her in as there were more books within this room than even in some libraries. Carlisle had always been proud of his collections, but I was certain he would not think wrongly of me using them to tutor Leah. I opened the door and held it for her, and Leah stopped and looked at me confusedly.

"What?" she said uncertainly

I resisted against my upcoming sigh; she obviously had no experience of being treated as a lady. "Come in." I said gesturing a welcome with my hand. Leah's brows delicately lifted but she said nothing as she walked into the room.

As I'd expected, her first reaction was to be surprised and awed at the scale of Carlisle's study and the amount of books the shelves held. Leah had never entered this room before, though she had visited our house. Unwillingly of course. It had been during the previous year when Victoria had returned to avenge James and Bella had become her target. The wolves had worked along side us in an attempt to protect Bella and keep her away from Victoria's grasp. Leah had been actively on our side, and in the end she had even begun staying here more often than at the Reservation. This however was not because Leah had grown fond of us; it was because she'd wanted to stay as far away from her ex, Sam Uley, as possible. She'd chosen staying with us over being controlled by him, which had led me to wonder what exactly it was that he'd done to make her hate him so much.

"So is this your own library?" Leah asked falsely indifferent.

I smiled dimly when she picked up a book of human anatomy off the shelf. "No, actually this is Carlisle's study, but I suppose it doubles as a library."

"Oh, so you've probably read all of these books; right?" She looked at me expectantly whilst I hesitated to answer, suddenly strangely bashful.

"Err, yes I have." I answered tensely.

Leah merely nodded and began to awkwardly tap a beat on the hardback book she still held.

"So, shall we start now?" I nodded in response and gestured for her to sit down at Carlisle's desk. She slowly sat down on the antique wooden seat as though she feared it was highly breakable. She seemed tense and uncertain but I didn't want to make anything of it, I just hoped that she would relax during our session.

**…...**

"So do you understand?"

I stared blankly at the bronze haired vampire before me. I had no idea what the hell he was talking about and to make it worse, he could _see_ that I had no clue; as he had access to my mind whenever I let my guard down. I'd understood some parts of it; how the mind would function in different situations and so on, but all in all I was lost. And this was not good considering he'd been tutoring me for a week.

Edward sighed and dragged a hand through his hair and I could have sworn I felt a suspicious stirring in my gut when he did it. I frowned inwardly; of course that did not just happen, because it would be way too suggestive…

"Leah in what way can I say this to make you understand?" he asked almost pleadingly.

I could kind of understand why he was so agitated; he had tried and tried to go over the same subject for the past four hours and I still had not understood it. But to be honest, I really didn't see how a vampire could live for 110 years and not be able to live through 4 hours of teaching. It seemed Saint Edward's patience was not as flawless as it appeared to be. And I must admit it kind of pissed me off when he'd said this. When I'd asked him to help me, I'd also considered the fact that I knew he was the idealistic gentleman type, and he knew how to treat a girl. But right now I just felt patronised and stupid. I crossed my arms and shrugged, annoyed.

Edward sighed and looked down at the book in his hands. Then after a while he looked up at me through his annoyingly long, thick and strangely dark lashes.

"It seems I have offended you again." He said as more of a statement than a question. I shrugged in response, refusing to speak to him. I knew I was acting childish, but I couldn't help feeling offended, he was hurting my pride by treating me like some kind of six year old. And anyone who knew me would know that _I _could handle getting hurt; but my pride was a whole different matter.

"So you're just not going to speak to me now?"

He shook his head in frustration and stood up.

I watched as he returned the book back on the shelf and leaned against it, slipping his hands into the front pockets of his dark jeans. His gold eyes stabbed into me like daggers and I had to forcefully refrain from flinching. I didn't want to seem vulnerable.

As a response to his question I stared back at him blankly, making sure that I looked bored and uninterested in what he had to say. But it was my silence that answered his question.

"Fine, I think we should call it a day." He murmured walking towards the exit. He opened the door and held it as I got up and left the room. He followed me down the stairs and to the exit of the house, he held the front door open for me again but as soon as I made my way to it, he stopped me and frowned.

"Aren't you at least going to tell me why you're suddenly angry with me?" he asked. I shrugged and tried to carry on walking, but instead of the doorway I was met by Edward's cold hard torso. I glared at him. He impassively stared back.

I sighed, giving up, "Look, I know you're smart and all so you wouldn't understand, but did it ever occur to you that treating someone like a little 5 year old when they're actually 18 would piss them off? Because it does, ok?" I stated, crossing my arms holding my glare. The vampire's expression became thoughtful… and then apologetic.

"Leah, I'm sorry I didn't realise this offended you." he whispered. I clenched my fists across my chest as his cool breath caressed my face.

I shook my head in attempt to focus on being annoyed towards him. However he thought I was shaking my head at him, so I was caught totally off guard when his cold hand wrapped around my hot forearm and his gold eyes pleaded with me. I almost gulped; _almost_ let him get away with touching me like that.

_Almost_

"What are you doing?" I asked snatching my arm away from his grasp and looking at him disgustedly.

"Look, just forget it alright. I _need_ to get out of here." I murmured mostly to myself.

I pushed passed Edward, which was about as easy as knocking down a cold brick wall, and rushed out of the Leech House.

I entered the cold dark evening, and I cursed under my breath as I became drenched in rain, my navy blue dress was soaked and so were my sandals. _Way to piss me off_. I trudged through the forest feeling crappy and annoyed, but I refused to phase; I didn't want the entire pack to know about where I'd been during that day. It would be humiliating for me and hilarious for Sam.

I would always be a joke to him.

And a sour bitch to everyone else.

With my long quick strides I soon arrived at my house; my wonderful warm, dry home. I had never been so relieved to see that house in my life, but when it came into view that evening I all but rushed to it, slipping in my drenched sandals but not caring when I got mud all over my ankles and shins. When I entered the house it was quiet and I knew I was alone. It was what I wanted, after the event of that day, all I wanted to do was take a hot bath, after numerous showers, and be in the solitary presence of my nagging thoughts.

**Well, the intro's out of the way, now to the fun parts... only you won't get to read them if you *dun dun duuunnnn!* Don't REVIEW! Remember 20 REVIEWS NEEDED!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi guys! OK, first up a huge thank you to all who reviewed the last chapters, I am giving you all virtual sweeties, as well as this update, which is more than generous if you ask me! And now concerning this chapter, be aware of the change in points of view, it may not be as apparent in the first sentence but I'm refraining from writing POV on my story as it doesn't look professional, (well, OK, this isn't a profession, but still…) Anyways, this is set after the last chapter, not on the same say, so take note of that also! And yes it does start with Edward's POV…. And now, we get on with the story…**

**Disclaimer: I don't own twilight, BUT I do have Bella locked up in a dark whole in them idle of my garden, MWA HAHAHA! *looks out the window and shouts* "Oh quit your lousy crying, you're a disgrace to all teenaged girls Isabella!"**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 4<strong>

I paced along the length of my room armed with a book and a highlighter. I'd just had yet another session with Leah, and, much like the others we'd had; it had not gotten us anywhere but in an argument.

But this time when Leah had left abruptly, the silence in the house had become deafening; the peace that I had previously yearned for had transformed into my own personal hell. I didn't want to sit alone and mourn anymore, I needed a distraction, something that would take my mind away from Bella and the past; something that would update me on the present and ground me to it.

I turned to the next page that was titled, 'Teaching methods'. I concentrated fiercely as I read; this was something I hadn't had the needed to do in a while. I had decided to do some further research on the principles of tutoring. During the first week I had begun to realise that the reason we hadn't made much progress was because we kept clashing into each other, and I knew it was somewhat my fault.

I hadn't meant to make her feel patronised or to lose patience with her. I didn't know what made me act in such a way. I considered the possibility that it was just a reaction to the fact that Leah was the first female outside my family that I'd seen in a year. She seemed different; colder and more brutal. But it wasn't a surprise after the year she'd had. Leah's father had died the previous year; killed by Victoria for trying to protect her. It became clear that this had had lasting affects on her.

My mind began to drift away as I thought about her; her dark russet skin and the feel of scorching heat that it radiated. For our latest session she'd worn a navy blue dress with gold navy-styled buttons and gold sandals.

A thought occurred to me.

I frowned and looked out of my large window which confirmed my suspicions; it was pouring outside. I'd once again, let her go home under the wrath of the bucketing rain without even an umbrella. I sighed in frustration; I should have offered her a ride.

I flung the book and pen onto a leather seat and dropped onto it myself, suddenly feeling uncharacteristically tired. I'd spent so long being alone that I had forgotten what it was like to be around someone. I knew I had to make it up to Leah, and one way I could do this was by getting her the grade she needed, one way or another. It was the least I could do after she'd come to me for help, despite her dislike for everything that I stood for.

She'd come to me for guidance and I'd thrown it back in her face; I had to make it up to her.

**_..._**

_Knock knock knock_

I groaned and rolled over in my warm comfy bed, dragging my duvet along with me. It was Saturday and well before the time I was accustomed to waking up at.

_Knock knock knock_.

I clutched my pillow and stuffed my face in it, stifling the growl that vibrated in my throat. Who the hell was it? I knew it could not have been my mother as she had left for work in the early hours of the morning and was not due to return until much later. Besides it was _her_ house; she had her own set of keys.

Another knock penetrated my ears and I wanted to throw a _rock_ at whoever was at the door. I presumed it was one of the guys, probably Jacob, as they usually came to collect Seth so they could all go out and do whatever guys did whenever they were given way too much freedom. Any other day I wouldn't have minded as much because this meant that I would have the house to myself for most of the day. But I had spent the entire previous night reading over my biology text book and had slept at about three a.m. _so I really wasn't in the mood_.

My eyes began to close as I slowly re-entered Dream Land, I silently rejoiced when I heard Seth run down the stairs and open the door.

But my joy was short-lived.

"Err Leah, you need to get down here!" I heard Seth yell. I groaned and threw my pillow at my door, muttering curses at whoever had decided to interrupt my perfect morning of rest. I had been fully planning on staying in bed until at least two in the afternoon. I looked at the clock that hung on my wall.

7:45 am. _What the hell?_

I reluctantly got up and out of the comfort of my haven; whoever was downstairs and had woken me up would pay _dearly_. Who even _got up_ at this time on a Saturday, let alone actually disturbed other people who were more fortunate than them?

I lazily headed out of my room, still wearing my pyjamas; a white tank top and light blue cotton mini-shorts, anything else would be far too warm for me to sleep in. I didn't find an issue with going to greet a guest whilst dressed like this given the circumstances- _it was 7am_- and my assumption that it would be one of the gang.

But there was an issue, a _huge_ issue; and his name was Edward Cullen.

**…...**

I stared at the girl before me, her hair tied up loosely, which brought all attention to her face which seemed to radiate beauty and annoyance. My gaze travelled downwards towards her immaculate body, she was strong but curved and lean, and her legs appeared to go on and on; their length was endless. There was so much of that tanned skin on show, I averted my gaze quickly, embarrassed as I had been openly gawping at her. I only prayed that neither she nor Seth had noticed.

Leah groaned, which caused a stirring inside of me that I couldn't necessarily call unpleasant. Uncomfortable, yes, but not unpleasant. I tried to convince myself it was relief because she wasn't yelling and screaming at me as I'd assumed she would.

"Oh for goodness sake, what the _hell_ are _you_ doing _here_?" she asked tiredly, lazily flopping down onto the couch, on which she lay down with her eyes closed and her arms crossed. Once again I found myself diverting my gaze away from her body.

"I just wanted to apologize for the entire last week; I thought perhaps we could start over." I said, glancing at Seth who raised his brow when he met my gaze. '_Good luck with that.'_ he thought to me as he walked into the small kitchen. I ran a hand through my hair and sat down on an armchair, I began playing with my fingers nervously.

"I was reading some books" 6_8 to be precise_, "And I think I have found a method of tutoring you that would suit you best." I said to a seemingly sleeping Leah. She groaned in reply.

"And what's that then; waking me up at 7 am on a bloody Saturday to get my brain working? That's ironic considering this is the time I'm most dead at." She murmured into a decorative pillow. I frowned and looked at my watch, I hadn't realised how early it had been.

"Oh, perhaps I should return later."

"Yep, much later- _what wait a minute_ how are you on our land and still _living_ anyway?" she asked suddenly much more alert.

I shrugged, "Seth asked your alpha to allow me to enter your land for a while." I answered, carefully watching her response. I was surprised to find a horrified look on her face as I said this; she quickly shot up from the couch and turned to face me.

"Seth told Sam? Did he say _why_ you needed to come here?" I shook my head and she exhaled loudly, relieved.

"Good, no one else has to know. Could you keep this to yourself, I mean I know how much you probably want to brag about this but, please just… don't." Leah's gaze never left my face as she searched for agreement.

I looked into her worried eyes sincerely and said, "I will not utter a word." She nodded in appreciation then got up,

"I'm getting ready, feel free to _not_ touch _anything_, but you can eat Seth if you wish." She murmured as she stretched. My gaze found itself locked on her midriff as her white top was lifted by the motion.

I swallowed hard.

"Sure." I said with a forced smile.

Leah sauntered off and stomped back up the stairs to get ready. I could hear every one of her footsteps as she walked across the landing and entered the bathroom. I listened as she turned on the shower and the water began to flow out noisily, Leah must have gotten in soon after as I then heard her quietly humming as she showered. I shook my head in attempt to remove the corruptive thoughts from my mind.

I had no idea what was happening within me, but as soon as I had seen Leah that morning there had been a change in my entire being. I felt the transformation that was occurring inside of me as the platform I had been so firmly standing on was shaken to its core. But no matter how strong it was, I knew it could be nothing more than perhaps a small infatuation with her. It was only natural, I reasoned, as she was the first female outside of my family that I'd communicated with in a year; surely these feelings were just signs of a physical attraction towards her. Nothing more.

With this conclusion in my mind, I picked up a remote control, mentally listing the numerous insults Leah would invent if she knew I'd broken the only rule; not to touch anything. I grinned; during the week I had grown fond of her creative invectives. And there had been many. In fact it was actually quite distressing that although I had over a hundred years on her, she could still make one shudder in aversion better than I could. And she would only use her sharp, shameless tongue to do so.

I went through the channels on the television, sighing with boredom and deciding to settle on a Jeremy Kyle episode. I rolled my eyes; did people actually believe this nonsense? I sat in utter silence as I watched a woman pouring her eyes out for a man who obviously couldn't have cared less.

"I thought I told you not to touch anything?"

I turned around in the seat, and faced her, I was sure the look on my face portrayed my surprise. I had not noticed her presence; perhaps there was something interesting in television after all; it was either that or Leah was very sneaky. I considered this for a moment and looked at the tanned girl whose hands were at her hips and eyes were judging and calculating. I frowned; she was definitely sneaky.

I suddenly found it impossible to look away as I took in Leah's navy blue jeans and the red t-shirt she wore on top. Even in clothing as simple as this she looked stunning; they hugged every curve in her body and looked as though they'd been made for only her to wear. I scolded myself inwardly; she was waiting for a response and all I could do was gaze at her; what was wrong with me? I needed to control myself before this innocent attraction I felt towards her got out of hand. It would be wrong of me to think about her in this way, especially after what happened with Bella.

I froze; I could never let myself feel that way again.

"Hello, is anyone in there?" I was shaken out of my thoughts as Leah waved a hand in my face annoyingly; she was on guard and her bravado character was now in charge. I tried to convince myself that as long as she kept frustrating me, I would have no problem containing these new feelings.

"Are you ready to go now?" I asked, already heading towards the door, I opened it and held it for her. After we'd said goodbye to Seth, and Leah had warned him to stay away from a packet of cookies she'd been saving, we were out of the house and heading to my car.

When the vehicle had been revealed to her, I was convinced for a second that she'd refuse to get in, but she did oblige, though with reluctance. I closed her door and got into the car myself, I knew Leah felt uncomfortable being with me in the car so I rolled down the windows. But I didn't repel Leah's scent, in fact, the smell of jasmine and lavender filled the car and it was far from unpleasant.

We remained in silence as I drove through the streets of Forks, it was a cloudy morning and the entire atmosphere of the small town screamed dull and boring. It was sometimes quite depressing when I thought about all the other cities we could have resided in instead, but I knew our decision was based on more than just gratification; this was part of our survival. I tapped the steering wheel as the quiet radio played in the background of this intense scene.

"Where are we going?" Leah asked, only half interested. I turned to face her, only half of my attention on the road; not that it made a difference, I could drive with my eyes closed and not be in danger.

"We are going to the Mall." I answered.

**Ok, relatively long chapter but it was suppose to be longer, it's been split because I wanted to lave you hanging. Anyway, did you like this one… perhaps enough to **_**review**_**? Hmm and what do you think is going to happen in the mall? Well if we reached 20 reviews you'll find out! : ) Thanks for Reading!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey guys, I was generally pleased with the number of reviews last time so I'll treat you to a new update; the third one this week actually… Anyway hope you enjoy it, perhaps enough to review? **

**Disclaimer: Don't own Twilight and all that, bla bla bla.**

* * *

><p><em><strong>Previously…<strong>_

"_Where are we going?" Leah asked, only half interested. I turned to face her, only half of my attention on the road; not that it made a difference, I could drive with my eyes closed and not be in danger. _

"_We are going to the Mall." I answered._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 5<strong>

Leah looked at me incredulously, "_The_ _mall_, why?"

I smiled, "I told you I found another way of teaching this that would suit you better and-,"

"And you think because I'm a girl, I would like to go to the _mall_ to study?"

I rolled my eyes at her, "Don't interrupt me wolf." Leah frowned at my imitation of her; though personally I thought it had been pretty good.

"I didn't mean going to the mall would suit you, I meant doing something other than staring at a book for hours would. I know that you find that method tedious and it won't help if you're not interested in the subject. You need to be interested to take it in, right?" She slowly nodded in response.

"But why are we going to the mall?"

I stopped when I'd reached a red traffic light although there was hardly any traffic whatsoever. I leaned over towards her, reaching towards the pocket of the car door. She tensed.

"I'm just getting something, I won't bite." I assured her sarcastically. Leah snarled and rolled her eyes, but didn't protest as I leaned in again and got a sheet of paper. I held the paper in one hand whilst steering the wheel. Leah's eyes swiftly glanced at the road and I could understand why; she was in a car with a vampire who she thought didn't seem to realise he was driving. But of course I knew what I was doing, obviously throughout the years I'd perfected the art of multitasking.

"This is a list of all the reflex actions and reactions to changes of environment or a situation that the mind can go through. Today we are going to focus on emotions, sudden changes in them and how another person's reactions affect them." I explained as I indicated this on the page.

"Ok, but where does the mall come into this?" she asked as she took the paper from my grasp and studied it carefully. I hadn't missed the heat of her touch as her finger hand brushed against my cool skin. I brought my attention towards the road; I suddenly needed a distraction.

"We are going to be testing these reactions on other people. Random people that we don't know, it will increase the effect."

Leah put down the piece of paper and her gaze pierced into me as she stared in my direction in utter confusion.

"So what, we're going to go round screaming 'boo' at random members of the unsuspecting public so you can teach me about biology?" I nodded,

"If you wish to put it in that sense then, yes, essentially that is what we are going to do; though we won't just be testing to see fear. We can discover humour, embarrassment, all kinds of emotions that have been set off suddenly and that they will react to."

"Wow, Cullen didn't think I'd ever see the day you'd actually want to go around terrorising people."

I gave her an innocent grin, "It's all in the name of science." Leah snorted as she rested an arm against the car door.

"I still don't get why we had to do this so early in the morning." She murmured her gazed focussed on the scenery around us.

I shrugged, "I honestly didn't realise how early it was, I haven't slept in over a century Leah, give me a break."

"Well _ok_, just don't even think about doing it again, because you _will_ be left standing outside until God knows when and I _will_ laugh and throw things at you." she warned with a pointed finger. I raised a brow and chuckled at the thought.

Despite my laugh, Leah merely stared at me with raised eyebrows, and shook her head pityingly,

"Make no mistake Cullen, I would do it and _you_ _know_ I would."

We soon arrived at the mall and once I parked the car we were ready for a long day of _learning_. I wasn't certain if this method would work for Leah, but I had to ensure that I included as much factual information as possible or else the 'study' part of the 'study date' would be lost. And we'd just be left with a date…

We decided to start in a small café, where everything was peaceful and of the norm. That would soon change. An hour later and we had scared twelve unsuspecting people. We'd used different ways to frighten them and for each way we got a different reaction; Leah took note of every single trial.

**…...**

"Think of them as experiments, we're repeating them so that our results will be more reliable bases for our conclusion. It would be pointless just to test it on a single person; in fact ideally we would test every single person in the world as we all have different reactions." I explained. We were sat at a table in yet another small café just outside of the mall.

I looked across the small rectangular table as Leah sipped her steaming hot, chocolate drink, and wondered what it tasted like to her. I wanted a description in detail of what she tasted, how it felt, what effect it gave her. Perhaps it was just the over-studying that had had an effect on me, but all of a sudden I craved knowledge about how humans lived. It had been so long ago when I had lived their life, and even then it was during an entirely different era. What was it like for them now? I could read their minds and hear their thoughts, but I would never be able to live their lives.

"So what about you, how would you react to fear?" My thoughts halted as her large brown eyes bore into me. I looked down at the wooden table suddenly unexpectedly nervous.

"Err, well I" I cleared my throat, praying it would buy me some time to come up with an answer to her question. But suddenly all I could even begin to think about were her large chocolate orbs and the sincerity and secret they held inside of them. I knew then that this wasn't just a general question.

"When in fear, I think I could get protective, possessive even, of whatever is in danger." I said awkwardly, I wasn't used to talking about myself as I didn't usually make a habit of it.

I expected Leah to respond with a sarcastic retort or to roll her eyes and tell me she didn't really care. But she didn't. Her arms were rested on the surface of the table and sprayed out before her; it seemed as though she was open to hear me, rather than the closed posture she usually had when her arms were crossed. She leaned in closer, intrigued. I tapped a casual beat on the table and stared at it uncomfortably as I carried on.

"I wouldn't put myself first, but rather who is affected at that moment."

"And what if that was you?" Leah asked quietly. I looked up and met her gaze and shrugged.

"Then I suppose I wouldn't be afraid. I have lived for far longer than natural; I've had my fun, now I'm just waiting for someone to end it for me. I have nothing to fear, death is hardly the worst thing in the world."

Leah shook her head, "You wouldn't have said that as a human. Was that the moment when you were most scared; when you were about to die?"

I laughed humourlessly, "Leah, my mother was dying beside me in a hospital bed. _My mother_, who had cared for me for my entire life and I could do nothing to help her, I was far more scared for her life than mine, even as a human." Leah's brows rose in surprise and she retreated back into her seat, her shoulders slumped and her gaze distant as she processed what I'd told her.

"Oh." She murmured.

I nodded solemnly, "Yes, _oh_."

There was a moment of utter silence before Leah spoke in a quiet whisper.

"How did she die?"

"From the Spanish influenza, we had both caught it as it was a wide spread disease at this time. Carlisle had been caring for us in the hospital and she must have known something about his true identity; his true being. Her last request was for him to save me in anyway that he could-"

"And so he turned you." I nodded.

"So you _didn't_ have a choice?"

I shook my head,

"I would have never chosen this life for myself, Leah. I'm not even really living, as you have pointed out multiple times. This is something unnatural and although I owe Carlisle my life and loyalty, I know I would have never even considered this as an option. I would have preferred to die and be judged upon my human life by an almighty being then be stuck here waiting for eternal damnation."

"You don't really believe that you're damned, Edward, I know you don't." Leah whispered. My gaze travelled towards the table once more and found her warm hand placed on top of my own.

My chest tightened at the sight; she was tanned and warm and I pale and cold; like the sun and the moon, totally opposite. And yet everything we did felt right. I had never spoken to Bella about how I felt about being a vampire because I had known she wanted to be one. She wanted me to turn her into something that even I didn't want to be. She didn't want to listen to reason because she had set her mind on becoming one of the damned.

But Leah was different, she listened and understood. Her warmth filled me from the outside all the way in. I had never felt such a sensation where everything I felt was almost controlled by her but not in a demanding way. I tried to get my head around this as her hand slowly caressed mine; warming me up to my core.

"Don't I?" I murmured totally unfocussed as my mind got lost in a haze filled with black hair and brown eyes.

"No you don't, otherwise what would be the point of you feeding on animals when all you lust for are humans? What would be the point of trying to be a good person, going to high school even when you've already graduated a hundred times or helping me with this stupid project even though you probably don't give a damn?"

I opened my mouth to protest but Leah shushed me with a single finger to my lips. I gulped; surely she was doing this on purpose, I would have preferred it if she'd told me to _shut the hell up_.

"My point is that you do still have hope in you, that's why you're living out this lifestyle instead of being a beastly rogue. You're not a terrible person Edward, though you do annoy the hell out of me sometimes, you're tolerable."

There was a peaceful silence as our eyes met and there was a moment where I could have sworn no one else was in room. But it ended all too quickly; Leah soon broke away from the eye contact and pulled her hand into her lap, inspecting it thoroughly as she hid her discomfiture. I sighed.

"Well, Leah I guess I should take that as the highest compliment from you." I said with a weak smile.

Leah shrugged nonchalantly, "Look, I just want you to quit getting all emo on me and just be happy or something."

"Or something." I murmured as I stared out of the window in the cold dark scenery.

A/N: Well, well, we're finally seeing some chemistry here! Edward's opened up to her, wonder what will happen next… well you can tell me you're guesses if you review, or PM me! : ) Thank you to the reviews that I have already received, you guys are the reason why I've updated so much… that and because I know other people are reading this so I will continue.


	6. Chapter 6

**Muy Importante! Firstly I want to say a massive thank you to all of those wonderful people who reviewed! Thank you so so so much, the reviews made me so happy! I especially want to dedicate this chapter to: jberri79: brankel1: Marie One and hgmsnoopy for all your wonderful support and reviews! Also, I want to know if anyone can explain to me how the Anonymous reviews work, what happens if I activate it? Anyway, not concerning the story, it is quite different and shows a more frustrated Leah, and with frustration comes… other things…**

**Disclaimer: you know I don't own the Twilight saga because if I did Leah and Edward would be together AND Breaking Dawn would have Vampire Diaries Characters mixed in there. We all know Klaus is far scarier than Aro, who's spent 1000 years sitting on a throne in what is basically a creepy dungeon, he coulsn't even kill Bellla when he had the chance! Oh well, on with the story… **

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 6<strong>

Three weeks. It had been three weeks since I had begun my tutoring sessions with Edward and nothing short of a miracle had occurred. I finally understood what my rambling biology teacher had been going on about all year. This was merely in the space of three weeks. What _had_ I been doing all year?

I lazily sat down on my bed and picked up the book that I'd left there earlier. On the exact page that I had searched for I found piece of card upon which had a note written in the most accurate and precise cursive writing, it put my modern script to shame. Although I did take pride in my work and it was usually very neat; this little note was just _something else_. I read it and realised it was a list of exercises Edward had assigned me from the text book. I frowned; he'd disguised work in beautiful script; that was just _unfair_. He even made homework look gorgeous.

I shook my head, wishing those thoughts away and picked up my pen getting to work.

"Question 1…"

I read the question and stared at the paper; _'How would Edward explain this?'_ I thought as I nibbled on the end of my pen. I frowned. What the hell? Since when was he the only thing on my mind? I shook my head, wishing away all thoughts of the bronze-haired bunny-eating vampire, and trying to focus on what was primarily important; these stupid questions. I sighed realising that I had no idea what the answer to the question in the book was.

That's when the long discussion with my brain started in my head.

'_Maybe I should call him…' _

'_No it's way too late…'_

'Hang on a minute, what are you: _stupid_? He's a vampire, he doesn't sleep remember!'

'_Oh right sorry brain.'_

'It's ok; just don't make stupid mistakes like that again. I'm really starting to think you're losing it.'

'_I've been having a conversation with you for more than two minutes and now you think I'm starting to lose it.'_

'Yeah good point…'

I shook my head again, and before I could dwell on the thought for too long, I grabbed my phone and dialled his number, which wasn't very hard since I had him on speed dial…

Yes it was really that bad.

The phone only rang once before he answered, this was both encouraging, and freaky; had he known that I'd call him for help? How did he answer the phone so quickly?

"Hello? Leah? I was just about to call you."

'_Ah, that explains that…'_

"Oh really, um well… ok." I frowned and nearly hit myself on the head. What the hell? In a matter of moments my tongue had gone from perfectly functional to downright out of service. All of a sudden my lips felt as numb as my brain and I could feel myself getting hotter.

I couldn't believe this; I was getting all tongue-tied because I'd just called my undead tutor.

'_What the hell, Leah, suck it up.'_

"Hey Edward listen," I all but stammered.

"I'm listening"

I frowned, "Um yeah, ok. Anyway look-,"

"Leah I can't see you…"

I rolled my eyes; this guy was so annoying.

"Edward shut up and hear me out. I don't know how to work out the first question, could you help me?"

There was a pause and for a moment I wondered if he even knew what I was talking about.

"Edward, you know the exercises you gave me, right? The first question on that." I clarified annoyed and increasingly impatient. When Edward was silent it meant that he was either distracted, or avoiding the subject. In this case, I'd put my money on distracted.

"Hello? _Anyone there_?" I could feel my patience shrink until it was nearly non-existent. I was _that_ close to hanging up on him. Then I heard a distant chuckle in the background. It was deep and suspiciously very much like Edward's.

And that's when I ended the call.

Seriously, was he having a laugh? _Well, yeah, he was_ and that just made it _worse_. Was he laughing at me? Did he think I was retarded? And after these past few weeks I'd thought we'd progressed, not gotten worse. I had truly believed that even if he didn't give a damn about whether or not I failed, he at least wanted to help me out of kindness, not make a huge fool out me. He was probably in his stupid house, making stupid jokes about me to his stupid leech family.

"Fuck this." I muttered angrily and all but threw the phone against the wall. I then did what I do best: had a good ol' sulk about life. I was going over as many insults as I could think of for that leech in my head, when I realised that I should have probably used the time productively. I shrugged, I really couldn't be bothered.

"You hung up on me."

I turned around abruptly and winced as a wave of whiplash hit my neck.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I'd meant for it to sound demanding and dangerous, but it came out whiney and childish. I rubbed my neck painfully.

"You hung up on me." He repeated, a frown was set on his pale face and his eyes narrowed as he stared at my neck.

He walked over and sat beside me and I automatically flinched. He pointed to my neck.

"That hurts doesn't it? Don't worry it will hurt worse tomorrow." He said with a grin. I stared at this demented vampire. Surely he couldn't be serious; maybe I should have felt sorry for him instead of pissed at him, as he clearly wasn't in the right state of mind.

"Um, are you ok in the head? Why the hell are you here, _literally just_ after you ignored me over the phone? What makes you think it's _safe_ for you to be here right now?"

Edward looked confused, but there was a hint of humour in his gaze; that only served to rile me up even more.

"And you even laughed at me, and don't even try to deny it because I _heard_ you leech! That was just out of order." I stood up and began to pace the room.

"Leah, I wasn't laughing at you, I was laughing with Seth. I had to pass by the bonfire to ask your alpha for permission to enter your land."

"Oh and you did this in, what, three minutes?" I said sarcastically.

"That's a gross exaggeration; it was actually six and a half minutes. Besides it doesn't take long to ask a simple question."

"But apparently it takes _ages_ for you to answer one."

Edward sighed, "Leah I couldn't answer your question."

"Why the hell not!"

"Because you told me to, and I quote: _shut the hell up_." He shrugged, a grin playing at the corners of his lips.

I froze in one spot and could suddenly only see red.

"Oh for fuck's sake!" I all but yelled as I grabbed a pillow and slammed it into his face. My only regret was that he couldn't feel any pain.

I soon ran out of pillows to throw at the unbelievably infuriating blood-sucker, so I merely jumped onto him and wringed his cold neck. At first Edward merely allowed me to attempt his murder, which was pointless as I was in my human form and would have to shift to cause any real damage.

But Edward abruptly took hold of both my arms in his strong cold grasp and our physical fight turned into a glaring contest. No prizes for guessing who won. After all, I was merely in my human form and he was a non-blinking vampire who could go on staring for weeks.

Suddenly the door burst open and in came a bright and happy Seth, holding a hotdog in one hand and a drink can in the other. My little brother was in a fit of hysterics.

"Leah you've got to see this- oh, err am I interrupting something?"

I froze and my eyes widened as big as flying saucers when I realised what Seth was implying. Edward was in my room. Not only that, but it was the evening and I had him pinned to the bed, he still had a hold of my arms and we'd been staring face to face at each other. I was lying on top of him and for the first time I realised that my legs were in between his.

'_Hmmm, that's not suggestive at all...'_

I sprung off of the bewildered vamp and ran a hand through my hair.

'_Great, I even have sex-hair!'_ I realised as my fingers became acquainted with about a million knots.

"Seth you're not interrupting anything, we were just… studying- _nothing else_."

'_Um yeah, that was very convincing.'_

Seth raised a brow, obviously not believing a word that I'd said, which was fair enough considering I probably wouldn't have believed me either.

'_Great, my sixteen year old brother thinks he's just walked into me and Fang having sex. I wonder if it's possible to die of embarrassment…'_

"Anyway, I just came up to tell you that Rachel's back, and she brought baby pictures of Jacob. They're hilarious."

My thoughts were quickly diverted. Rachel was back? I grinned; Rachel had been a very close friend to me since we were little. We shared the best of times together, but when she'd moved away it had been hard to keep in contact with her. Also, the whole secrecy about how everyone she once lived with could now magically turn into huge wolves; didn't help. But now that Paul had imprinted on her, she visited more often, she'd even hinted at moving back here soon. I hoped she would, I was so tired of having no other girl to.

"I'll be down in a minute." I said, my voice was more uplifted, as was my mood.

Seth's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Err, sure." He said, probably thinking I had some 'unfinished business' to attend to. Seth left the room, closing the door and confirming my suspicions.

I rolled my eyes and turned to Edward, who I found, no longer on my bed, but leaning against the window sill. He held my text book in his hands and seemed to be truly entranced and fascinated by the words on the page.

But I knew better.

"Well I suppose I should be making my exit." He said, his eyes never leaving the book.

He turned the page.

I frowned and folded my arms, strangely finding myself upset that he was leaving.

"So what, you just came here to get attacked by me?" I asked, somewhat annoyed, but only at myself. I don't know what it was about him that drove me insane; but it did. Even the littlest things like him not answering a bloody question seemed huge all of a sudden. I rubbed my forehead; this was so frustrating.

And awkward.

Very Awkward.

"I didn't ask you to attack me. In fact I came here to answer your question." He said, with a raised brow.

He turned another page.

"And you couldn't answer this question on the phone? And don't try to feed me crap about me telling you to shut up."

Edward's gaze finally left the damn book, and his dark gold orbs pierced into me as a wave of sincerity entered his tone.

"I wanted to see you Leah." He said his voice dark, quiet and void of all humour.

I swallowed. Hard.

"Well, you've seen me." I stammered. I almost winced as I felt my angry demeanour subdue, and my protective wall crack.

Edward nodded; a small half-hearted grin appeared on that dazzlingly white face.

"I thought I might say goodbye before I leave. I'll be going on a, err _trip_ for the next few days." He said decidedly, placing the book on my bedside table.

The book dropped heavily onto the wooden surface.

And so did my stomach in my body.

"Where are you going?" I murmured, slightly downhearted.

Edward pointed at his dark eyes and the murky shadows that surrounded them.

"Oh, right." I said, faintly relieved.

Edward turned and opened the window. There was a cool breeze that entered the room in a sudden rush. He turned back to face me.

"Goodnight Leah."

I nodded, "Night Leech."

Just as he was about to leave I was unexpectedly hit with the urge to have him stay for longer.

"Wait Edward… look I'm sorry for hitting you with a pillow and… well… _strangling_ you. I got too carried away, and it was out of order." I said sincerely.

Edward smiled, it was small but genuine. "You're forgiven Leah."

And with that he left.

**Yeah, so you were probably expecting something slightly different, but this chapter served as a sort of cement for the bricks of the next level. Yep, loving my analogy… Anyway, thanks for Reading, Please Review, reviews show love and love makes me happy!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hi! I'm quite sorry that this wasn't posted up earlier, things have been getting serious in school and I unfortunately discovered that I actually have to pay attention now if I want to get As. I know… I too was surprised at this… **

**Anyway, I want to thank everyone who reviewed and made me feel special!**

**I hope you enjoy this chapter! Happy readings!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any of its characters.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 7<strong>

Soon after Edward had made his exit, I went into my bathroom and turned on the light. I was suddenly introduced to a very unfair, unflattering, full-body reflection of myself. My hair was all over the place, my face looked flustered and my tank top was disarrayed.

'_Of course, this is what you look like when you've been studying really hard.'_

I rolled my eyes at my sarcastic thoughts and violently dragged a brush through my hair. The brush was new and therefore effective and merciless. I winced as it tugged out all of the stubborn knots in my mane of coal black hair. I hadn't used a brush in a while as I normally only needed a comb for my short bob. But in a matter of weeks my hair had grown tremendously and was now passed shoulder length. I hadn't phased in about a month, both to keep the secret and so I wouldn't have to deal with annoyingly long fur.

Once I'd finished brushing and washed my face with water, I changed into a violet short-sleeved tunic, with shiny black flats and my favourite navy blue skinny jeans. I even bothered to accessorise with violet rose-shaped studs and a silver chain necklace with lilac, indigo and violet charms. The necklace had been a gift from Rachel, she'd bought it for me as a birthday present and I'd bought her an identical one, with charms in shades of red as a gift to her.

I returned once more to the mirror and for once I wasn't discontented with the way I looked; I was actually pleased.

I smiled to myself as I went downstairs and entered our garden, where a welcome back party was at full swing. Everyone had decided to gather at our house once the bonfire had been put out. This wasn't unusual; they usually went to whatever place they'd been promised food at. I looked around and spotted her at the barbeque.

Yep, mom was home.

"Hey mom, I haven't seen you all day." I hugged my mother and she loosely wrapped her arms around me in response, still holding a long, pointy barbeque fork and a spatula.

"Hi sweetheart." She said warmly. Just as she was about to say something, she paused and her gazed travelled from top to bottom of my form.

"Leah, darling, you look amazing. You haven't worn that top since…" she stopped midsentence as her eyes glazed over.

I plastered on a smile, wishing the memories of the last time I'd worn the tunic away.

"Thanks mom."

I went over to the drinks table, and just as I was about to grab what was literally the last glass of punch, I was suddenly attacked from behind and my neck was strangled.

"Lee-Lee!"

I turned around and was met with a happy, grinning Rachel Black.

"Rache!"

We squealed and engulfed each other into a huge, soppy hug. Then we jumped up and down on the spot squealing and chanting; '_yay yay yay_!"

No, actually; _the last part didn't happen_. _Come on_, you should know me better than that by _now_.

But still, it was really emotional.

"Leah I haven't seen you in forever!" Rachel exclaimed as her arm remained suffocating my neck. She let go of me and held me at arm's length, her eyes scanning me over and her brow slowly rising.

"Leah, you look really hot!"

I stared at her, embarrassed by her boldness.

That's Rachel for ya.

"Um thank you?" I said, though it came out as more of a question.

Hours passed by and Rachel and I spent this valuable time catching up on everything that had happened since the last time we'd seen each other.

Which was at the funeral.

I felt free and happy as my mood soared upwards. I was with my best friend, we were laughing, chatting and gossiping and for once I felt like the Leah I had been over a year ago. Back before the problems started and my life got turned upside down. I loved the way it felt to be free of troubles, worries or any other stress that had forever trailed me during the entire year. I felt normal and I finally fitted in.

All in all the party was a blast. After a while Paul had started complaining about me spending so much time with Rachel, so Rachel gave in to him and they wandered off together into the forest.

Probably to do some unmentionable things.

_Gross_.

Jacob would really _love_ seeing that in his head.

I'd feared that when Rachel had left, she'd taken the festive, happy Leah along with her. I'd had the full intention of going back into the house and right up to my room to go study or call it a day, but then Embry had pulled me out of my upcoming misery and asked me for a dance. This was nothing short of a surprising miracle, but I forced myself not to make a huge deal about it. The guy already looked terrified of what I'd do to him, and besides, I was still (partly) human; it was so _tiring_ being a sour kill-joy _all_ the time.

It was fun; dancing, laughing, singing wildly out of tune. We partied and partied, until about 3 am when we'd run out of a month's supply of food and somebody sensible realised that Rachel, the guest of honour, had left a long time ago.

I was in the kitchen clearing up what was left of the plates and cutlery and putting them into the dishwasher. My mother hated it when I used the dishwasher, she said it was lazy and an insult to a woman's handiwork.

I though the dishwasher was a life-saver.

Especially in these situations, I mean, there was about a hundred dishes in there and it was three in the morning. I could barely even _look_ at them, let alone _wash_ them. And I didn't see the guys rushing over to help. In fact the only thing they'd rushed to do was _leave_. Only Jacob and Embry had remained to help out with the clearing up.

"Where do you want this Leah?" I turned around and came face to face with double-trouble and a huge flat screen television. The asset of my home was in _their_ hands;

I almost fainted.

"Why are you carrying the T.V?" I asked utterly perplexed and worried out of my mind that they would drop it.

"Sue had told us to put it in the garage, to avoid a repeat of what happened last time." Embry said with a knowing look.

I raised my brows, "Oh yes, last time..." I shuddered as the memory crossed my mind.

I hurriedly ushered them to the living room, praying that my baby would be safe in their hands.

It took slightly over an hour and a half for the house to be transformed from a party-ridden dump to a neat, organised Sue-approved home. By then I was exhausted, and I could barely keep my eyes open as I trudged sluggishly up the stairs, changed into my pyjamas and brushed my teeth. As soon as my ass hit that bed, I was a goner. My eyes fluttered shut, but then I felt my eyebrows furrow as I heard a knocking noise; I quickly dismissed it as a dream and carried on sleeping. I puffed my pillow idly with a tired hand and once more I was totally confused; my pillow smelt odd and familiar. I breathed in the strange scent and quickly realised that it smelt like Edward. I took in a deeper breath.

'Hmm, _you_ are my _favourite_ pillow.'

_Yeah ok_, so obviously I didn't know what I was thinking because I was, _as I already said_, _exhausted_.

That night I truly slept like a baby, I was warm and fuzzy on the inside, and for the first time in a long time, I was really looking forward to the next day.

Even if there was something missing…

* * *

><p><strong>Well, OK, I can acknowledge the fact that this is quite short so I will most likely post another chapter later on. Thanks for reading! And please <em>review<em>, I'd like to know what you think will happen so I can turn it around and make it unpredictable!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Well here's the next chapter! I would like to say a massive thank you to all of my reviewers; you guys are amazing! Please enjoy this next instalment of The Science of Love.**

**Disclaimer: Honestly if I owned Twilight, I wouldn't be writing this, but rather I would be making Kellan Lutz and Jackson Rathbone do my bidding…**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 8<strong>

"So, how are things going here? I tried to ask Paul the same question last night, but… err yeah, that didn't work out." Rachel looked up at me from her bowl of cereal, hypnotically swirling the cornflakes in the milk with her spoon.

I raised an eyebrow and shuddered delicately; Rachel was giving me images that I didn't want to have in my head.

Rachel and I were seated at the kitchen table having breakfast. It was the morning after the party and, although I had been drained the previous night, I still hadn't managed to get back to sleep when I woke up during the early hours of the morning. And when I had woken up, the first thing I noticed was the sharp pain in my neck. Cullen had been right; the whiplash hurt far worse then than it did the night before.

_Stupid Cullen_

"Things are ok." I paused and a smile somehow made its way to my lips without my consent.

"Actually, things have been better lately." I said warily. Then I froze and my eyes widened as I realised Rachel had frozen also.

"Oh my gosh!"

"No Rachel, don't-'"

"Oh my gosh!"

"Rachel please I didn't-,"

"Gosh oh my!"

"What, Rache, that doesn't make any se-,"

"Who is he! What is he like? Does he live around here? Why haven't you answered the first question?" Rachel spun her spoon around in the air like a magic wand as her arms waved around frantically and eagerly.

"Rachel it's no one. I just meant that because you're back-,"

"Oh _sure_ you did. _Gosh_, I know you Clearwater, if you wanted to tell me you were happy to see me you would have said the words. This mysterious talk of 'things being better' can only mean one thing!"

"That, things have been better?" I asked; my tone sugar-coated with sarcasm. Rachel rolled her eyes and pointed her magical spoon right at my face.

"No, that there's some dude you're crushing on!"

I stared at my copper skinned, black haired best friend; she looked so utterly insane, it was almost hilarious. I could see her inherited features and there were parts of her face that reminded all too much of Jacob. I'd always known they looked alike; I just had not idea they had the same case of insanity.

"Rachel, there is no 'dude', I was just talking about my tutoring session for biology, I think I could really ace these retakes." I explained honestly.

I took a mouthful of my cereal.

'_Hmm, food…'_

"Wait a minute; you don't have a crush on your _tutor_ do you?

Out came a whole mouthful of cereal aimed right across the table. I coughed as I choked on small pieces of breakfast that hadn't quite made it down my throat. I covered my mouth as I spluttered over my bowl.

"Rachel… Rachel _please_." I said between coughs.

"I don't have a crush on anyone. I already told you that now I want to focus on getting the right grades for med school-,"

"Well, yeah, but that doesn't mean you can't fall for a guy in the process. Come on, Lee-Lee, tell me who he is! Is he, hot? Well of course by your standards, but I mean would _I_ like him? Would _I_ find him hot?"

I stared at Rachel, and with one shake of the head I got up and went over to the sink. I let the water run as I emptied the leftover contents of my breakfast bowl.

It was _way_ too early for this.

"Leah, you do realise that the more you deny it, the more serious I'm going to think this is, right?"

I sighed and poured some orange juice into a glass. I stared at it before taking a long, refreshing gulp.

If only she knew who my tutor actually was. That would shut her up.

"There is nothing going on." I murmured, bored.

Rachel sighed, and when I turned to face her, I saw that she was swinging on her chair, her face contorted into a frustrated expression and her teeth gnashing into her nails.

"Ok, ok…" she murmured in mid thought. I crossed my arms, intrigued.

'_What is she going on about now?'_

"I can do this." suddenly her eyes lit up and a huge grin stretched her lips; she looked as cunning and mischievous as a Cheshire cat.

"Do what?" I asked, totally puzzled.

"I will find out who this mystery guy is."

"Oh gosh." I ran a hand through my hair in aggravation and simply walked out of the room, escaping from Rachel, who remained deeply in thought and concentration. As I left, Seth groggily entered the kitchen and greeted her tiredly, but Rachel merely held out a hand and shushed him. I rolled my eyes and chuckled.

'_Good ol' Rachel.'_

* * *

><p>I was running through yet another storm in the outskirts of Forks and getting nearer and nearer to the border of Seattle. I had been running at this rapidity for two entire days and was yet to feel any sign of exhaustion. I knew there would be none to come; but one could still hope…<p>

I stopped abruptly when my ears caught hold of familiar sound waves. I could clearly hear the unmistakable footsteps of a wild deer. Just from listening to the sound of its hooves thud onto the soaked soil-, _then_ the nest of leaves _and_ a small broken branch- I could determine that it was old and weak.

I grimaced inwardly; I preferred fresher blood.

I could taste the deer's scent in the air, and quickly decided it wasn't worth the hassle, before I could change my mind and subject myself to the displeasing taste of an old deer's blood, I silently left. I ran once more through the forest, noticing how the trees got wider and stronger and the leaves and grass became a more vivid green with each mile that I ran. I was getting closer to Olympia; this was where I would find my favoured meal.

A mountain lion.

It wasn't long before I sited my target. It was large and lithe, so sure of its actions and proud of its skill. It thought it was the head in the forest. But I was better.

Much better.

I was thirsty and therefore did not plan to play along with the lion. Although it seemed a rather a large waste, I'd decided that I would devour it swiftly, to quench my thirst and get going on my way. The lion was relatively young and its paws were resting beneath it as its tail swung lazily and his head lolled to one side, as though it were studying the tree before it with interest. I was puzzled at to why the lion hadn't even sensed me yet, but I didn't complain. Instead I used it to my advantage.

This would be quicker than expected.

I slowly and silently made my way towards the beast; fingers clawed and posture crouched, my senses were on high alert and my throat burned with yearning. I wasted no more time…

I leaped at the creature.

Only to be pushed back.

I crashed into the nearby tree as I was hit with the full force of the push. I landed in a muddy puddle beneath the tree and watched in bewilderment as the brown liquid soaked into my white cotton shirt.

I had been hunting for _days_, and had encountered many animals, which I had effectively robbed of every ounce of blood, and yet _now_ was the time that my shirt was soiled. I looked up to see the intruder and my eyes widened as they came in contact with her gaze.

"Tanya?"

**Yep, this is another annoyingly short chapter. But not to fear, I'm just warming you up for a hell of a lot of Edward and Leah coming your way! And this will be updated very soon, though it will be sooner if I get some constructive reviews…**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello hello, OK first of all I would like to say a massive thank you to everyone who reviews especially jberri79: brankel1: Marie One: hgmsnoopy: GothChiq80: everyday I'm shuffling and Capp'n. All of your reviews ispire me to update me and make me smile! Thank you so much, and to show you my thanks I have come up with this chapter which used to be two very short chapters but is now one. I hope you enjoy it!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight yada yada, BUT if anyone reading this watches the Vampire Diaries and has seen ep. 21 season 4 then feel free to PM me so we can have a detailed discussion on how to punish these writers for killing off Klaus!**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 9<strong>

Four days had passed and I still hadn't seen any sign of him. On the second day, I had become agitated and perhaps a little irritable. I didn't even know why, but all of a sudden literally everything was starting to piss me off. I was supposed to go out with Seth on our semi-monthly movie trip, but when he reminded me, I started yelling at him. I randomly stomped up the stairs and ranted about how my life was a nightmare and my little brother wouldn't leave me alone, and that I was a failure.

_And so on and so forth._

But truthfully, I was entirely perplexed as to why I hated the world so suddenly after feeling great at the party. The next day, after having given myself a two hour scolding, I apologised to Seth and simply told him that I was stressed out with school stuff. Whether or not he believed me, I couldn't decipher, because I was too busy being relieved that he'd accepted my offer to reschedule our movie day.

Thankfully this day wasn't as bad as that. But I did still want to kill someone, only this time I knew who and why.

Rachel

Because she'd taken me shopping.

I'd been sitting on a stool in a small exclusive boutique for over an hour, begging and pleading for her to let me leave and find the food court. But she declined my freedom and forced me to stay in the store. I warned her that I would simply leave whilst she was in the changing room, but she'd responded with an evil grin and held up a pair of handcuffs.

"That's right" she'd nodded. "I've got cuffs and I'm not afraid to use 'em."

'_Yeah, um… ok, kinda freaky.'_

"Well what do you think?"

I sighed and looked up to see my so-called best friend, in a gorgeous glittery deep fuchsia dress. It was slightly shorter than knee-length and had a sequin embedded bust with a sweetheart neckline. It was beautiful and it suited her so well, she looked like a goddess in it.

"Wow, Rache it's gorgeous. You look, just… wow!"

Rachel chucked self-consciously, "Really, you think?" she asked, nervously twirling in front of the mirror.

I snorted, "Um yeah kinda."

Rachel sighed with relief and smiled into her reflection.

"Then this is the one." She muttered decisively.

My eyebrows furrowed, "The one for what?" I asked as I stared at the twinkling glittery fabric of the flared, netted skirt.

"I'm wearing this dress for my anniversary date with Paul. He still hasn't told where we're going, said something about a surprise, but I want to look good. You probably think it's stupid, you know; looking good just for a guy. But I just… _want to_. He makes me feel special and I want to look special for him." she said meekly, the volume of her voice dropping to an almost whisper.

I diverted my gaze down towards the floor as I felt my chest clench with distress.

'_I know the feeling…'_

"So, anyway," Rachel exclaimed immediately upbeat and snapping me out of my thoughts. "We need to get something for you now!"

My eyes shot back up at her and in an instant I was standing and backing away.

"No way Rachel. You're done now, we can just go." I pleaded and insisted with her, but she wouldn't have any of it. It was only after fifteen minutes that Rachel resulted in pulling me towards the dress section of the boutique, when I finally compromised with her.

"Fine, you can get me to look at these, but you can't make me try any of them on." I said smugly.

_HA, famous last words_.

It wasn't long before I was trying on dress after- overly _expensive_, far too _revealing_, downright _slutty_-dress. My feet ached and I knew that if I came in contact with just one other pair of heels I would throw them at a member of the unsuspecting public.

Just as I was contemplating over the pros and cons of throwing a shoe at the bitchy shop assistant, my eyes came in contact with a dress. It was secluded in a small corner in the shop.

It was deep mauve with a shiny silver metal belt that had been carefully woven into a delicate plait and embellished with small expensive crystals. The dress itself appeared plain, but at a second glance I realised that the fabric had a slight colour change in the light; the elegant chiffon transforming from mauve to indigo. The skirt was loose and had no netting beneath it. The dress boasted a Grecian empire neckline with a single strap for the shoulder; true goddess' dress.

There was a quiet gasp behind me.

"Leah, it's beautiful."

Turned around surprised, I hadn't even realised Rachel was behind me. In fact, I couldn't even remember walking over to the dress. I reached out and stroked the smooth perfect fabric. I discovered a silk under layer underneath the translucent chiffon; it was the silk that was indigo and the chiffon was mauve.

"You have to buy it, Leah." Rachel gushed dazedly. Frowning, I took the dress in my hand and after a moment of fumbling underneath it, I found the price tag.

I snorted.

"That's not going to happen." I said dejectedly, placing the magnificent creation back on the rack.

"What do you mean you won't buy it? It's gorgeous, Leah, it's perfect!

"Yeah, and perfection obviously comes at a high price. I'm not spending my mother's hard earned money on a dress Rache; that would be selfish and stupid really."

Rachel frowned, her gaze swiftly moving from to the dress and back. Suddenly her eyes lit up.

"I'll pay for it." she said grabbing the dress and speed-walking to the counter, filled with determination.

I protested immediately, "Rachel, no way, it's way too expensive."

She ignored me and carried on walking. I sighed.

"Rachel, please it's too expensive. Just put it back, it's just a dress."

Rachel stopped and slowly she turned to face me.

"Leah, it's _perfect_ for you."

I sighed and shrugged, dismally. "It's perfect for whoever can afford it."

Rachel reluctantly put the dress on another rack. She shook her head in dismay.

"You really want that dress don't you?"

I smiled numbly, "There are things I've wanted more."

* * *

><p>It was the end of the week and I was in my bed, laptop in hand as I absently stared at the screen. I was barely concentrating, though, as my mind was elsewhere. This was saying something, because usually just the sight of Damon Salvatore had me etched to a screen.<p>

I thought about the events of the previous days, during which I had gone shopping with Rachel once again, watched a movie with Seth and I'd even gone to the arcade with Jake and Embry, which was fun until, they started trying to show-off their _not-so-amazing_ skills. It had been a while since I'd hung out with them, but that day turned out to be one of the best of the week. It had felt nice to go out and enjoy my summer vacation. I felt like a normal teen that had a normal life and not-so-normal friends.

But by the end of the week I could no longer fool myself, I could no longer disregard the missing piece of this mending puzzle that I held in my heart. I felt a sense of emptiness, as though I was happy, but a shell.

_A happy shell_.

It had been a week since I last saw him, and every time I my thoughts moved towards him, I would rush outside in search of a distraction. I hadn't even picked up my bloody biology book. I couldn't study without thinking of him; I couldn't even _look_ at it without imagining his cool hands clutch it as he read it to me expertly in his deep liquid-smooth voice.

I sighed dreamily running my fingers through my ever-growing hair. My sigh soon turned into a loud yawn and I found myself looking at the clock on the wall.

7.45pm.

I closed my eyes and opened them once more when I finally decided that I'd call it a day. I was exhausted; today I had stupidly offered to go on a long hike with Embry when Jacob had cancelled on him. Of course, my intentions were to gain a valid reason for wandering around the forest in my human form, seemingly in search of something…

_Or someone_.

But when we'd actually gone, it turned out to be quite enjoyable, if not tiring. I enjoyed talking to Embry and sometimes my chuckles at his jokes were even _genuine_.

_Sometimes_.

It was strange, but it seemed as though in the space of a week, he'd become more than just Jacob's friend and my pack brother. I soon found myself referring to him as my own friend too, though not verbally, because that would be _weird_.

My friendship with Jacob seemed to get closer as well. We could now actually have full conversations without awkward silences in between each sentence. We even had a laugh and hung out whenever he came over. It was odd, but it seemed that the longer I refrained from phasing, the stronger my bond with the pack became.

Well not all of the pack:

Paul was still an annoying jackass.

And Sam was just… _Sam_.

I sluggishly got up from my warm comfortable bed and headed into my bathroom. I was just about to brush my teeth when at the last minute I decided to have a shower; I knew I still stunk of sweat and body odour after the tiresome hike.

I walked over to the shower, pulling my tank top over my head and then grimacing when I remembered that I'd left my fresh, clean pyjamas in my room.

'_I'll get it later.'_ I thought to myself as I stripped off the remainder of my clothes and lazily dumped them onto the towel rack.

Once I stepped into the shower I hummed with bliss as the warm water flooded over me, caressing each aching muscle and cleansing my sticky, sweaty skin. I began to happily hum a random tune as I gently scrubbed my skin with an exfoliating glove, watching as the water washed away the dirt.

'_God, that feels so much better.'_

When I was finished, I quickly washed my hair with a scented shampoo and conditioner.

Yes, that's right; _I_ was actually _bothering_ with a conditioner.

I figured since my hair was making the effort to grow so quickly that the least I could do was look after it. It now flowed halfway down my back; even when I _wasn't_ bending backwards. I knew I'd have to cut it before it reached my ass, but still enjoyed its current length whilst it lasted.

Even if it would prove to be a hassle when I phased.

Ten minutes later, I got out of the shower and retrieved a fresh new towel from the radiator. It was still toasty warm as I dried myself off and wrapped it around my body. I looked around at the floor, then cursed under my breath when I'd realised I'd forgotten my rubber flip-flops in my room. I hated walking barefoot just after a shower; it made me feel dirty all over again.

'_Argh.'_

I quickly padded across the bathroom, avoiding placing the whole soles of my feet onto the tiled floor. I unlocked the door to the bathroom and entered my room…

"The irony; y_ou're_watching The Vampire Diaries."

* * *

><p><strong>OK, I would like to take this opportunity to clear some things up and reassure my LeahEdward fans. Next chapter will be up tomorrow and let me tell you it will not disappoint (I think… at least I hope not) I wanted this chapter to display other aspects of Leah's life rather than just her springing romance with Edward, but I can see how that could piss off some of you so I will update very soon! **

**Also, the Vampire Diaries reference had to be included; it is quite ironic that's she's watching it right?**

**Finally those of you wondering what happened with Tanya… **_**WELL**_** we will be seeing more of her VERY soon… but until then, let her be a distant name at the back of your head, it will make it more dramatic when she reappears. **

**Thanks for Reading (especially if you read the AN) and please REVIEW, tell me what you think will happen with Tanya!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hi, I was very much encouraged by your reviews of the last two chapters and so I have decided to treat you with two updates! Please enjoy this next instalment to The Science of Love.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 10<strong>

I froze as I took in the view before me. There was a guy sitting on my bed, with his legs crossed at the ankle and my laptop placed on his lap. He was deathly white and he wore a black t-shirt and jeans which made him appear even paler in comparison to his clothing. On his face he wore a humoured expression with a crooked smile placed on his inviting lips. The smile seemed to reach his eyes, which glowed a fluorescent topaz in the dimly lit room.

I watched as his gaze travelled away from the screen of the computer and towards my frozen form. His eyebrows rose and he cleared his throat, averting his gaze.

"It would seem that I've caught you at a bad time."

I suddenly snapped out of my thoughts, as my mind processed the situation; I was standing in the presence of an irritatingly attractive vampire with my hair dripping wet and nothing but a towel covering my body.

'_Ground, please, swallow me whole; I swear I won't object.'_

I quickly retreated back into the bathroom, only leaving the door slightly ajar so I could poke my head out of it and glare at him.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I hissed, totally surprised and bloody-well frustrated.

Edward smirked, placing my laptop beside him and lithely lifting himself from my bed. His movements were smoother and, if possible, more cat-like than before. He silently walked towards the other door and for a moment I thought he was going to leave. But instead he leaned a shoulder against it, his hands tucked into his front pockets and his legs crossed causally; like it was normal to be in a girl's room and invade her privacy whilst she had a shower.

I felt a growl persist in my throat when I realised that not only was that door my only exit, other than the wide open window, but it was also right beside my wardrobe which held a set of fresh new pyjamas.

"You know, you seem to ask me this question more often than not." He said, his teasing gaze piercing my gut.

I gritted my teeth, "That's because you keep popping up in weird situations; you do realise that my window isn't actually the entrance to my house right? That would be downstairs, the first thing you see; you know… the _white rectangular thing, it has a handle and a bell that you can ring_…"

"Ah, yes." Edward said sarcastically with a nod. "I believe it's called a, um… door? Yes, I'm familiar with it."

"Good, _then start using it_. Seth already knows you're tutoring me; you don't need to sneak into my room. Besides, he's starting to have suspicious towards what we're actually doing…" I trailed off embarrassed. Surely that was a sentence too far.

Edward merely smirked with amusement. "_Oh really_? And what does he think we're _actually_ doing then?"

An embarrassing, awkward answer had already formed in my stuttering mind, but then I paused as a wave of annoyance invaded my emotions.

I glared at the smug Cullen. "Get me some clothes from my wardrobe before I throw something at you."

Edward chuckled, but obliged, rightly guessing which pyjamas I had intended to wear, and handing them over to me through the small gap of the door. I quickly took the clothes and slammed the door shut in his face. I padded over to the chest of drawers, silently thanking the heavens when I found some spare underwear and a bra.

In the bathroom I moved quickly and quietly, desperately avoiding any further humiliation as I speedily changed into my night gear. I looked over at a hanger behind the door and found my only other blessing; my dressing gown. I once again thanked my lucky stars and made an urgent mental note to purchase some pyjamas with long sleeves and full-length trouser legs.

When I returned to my dimly lit room, Edward was still leaning against the door; however he now held my biology text book and was flicking through the pages passively. He looked up when I entered, his eyes conveying mild humour as he absorbed my girly purple dressing gown.

Another one of Rachel's _brilliant_ ideas.

"You never answered my question." I mumbled, sitting on my bed. I drew in my knees and rested my elbows upon them.

Edward raised brow, a small smirk appearing on his lips.

"You never answered mine."

I rolled my eyes after recognizing what he was referring to.

"What are you doing here Edward?" I asked, completely disregarding his last comment.

Edward expression became serious and his eyes slightly solemn.

"We've reached the near end of your course. There only a few pages left." He murmured, looking down at the book in his hands. He held it sparingly, as though it was made of molten rock and it was burning his flesh. He frowned at it and placed it on that wooden desk.

"Oh, that was fast…" my mouth moved automatically, but my mind was in shock. I hadn't realised how far we'd progressed. We'd covered so much in such little time, but I'd never thought of what would happen when the course ended and I no longer had an excuse to see him.

Edward nodded and slowly joined me on the bed. I felt my gut churn, and butterflies invade my stomach at his sudden proximity.

"I came to give you this."

Edward handed me a sheet of white paper embedded with lines of his flawless script in black ink. I read the page, slightly confused.

"They're revision notes. I'm giving you a test, to ensure that you're ready for the retake."

I looked up at him, a frown etched on my lips.

"You said we had a few more pages to get through."

Edward shrugged, "It's nothing really; we could get through it today without a problem. You know most of it already."

I hesitated, my grip on the page tightening and my back straightened as a million thoughts ran in my mind in a single moment. From the day that we'd started, Edward had assured me that all of my thoughts were kept to myself after a year of almost perfecting his shield for his mind reading ability in order to control which thoughts he could read. But now that my mind was running loose, I doubted that he could block every thought that screamed at him.

I swallowed.

"I don't want to do it today, I'm too tired; maybe next time." I said folding the page back into its original square and placing it on my bedside table, doing all that I could to avoid his gaze.

For a moment, the room was filled with an unbearable silence before Edward cleared his throat and spoke in a quiet and somewhat dejected voice.

"My family have returned."

I turned to face him.

"Oh… really?"

He nodded.

"So I guess its back to happy days then?"

He chortled bitterly.

"Hardly. When I was alone, at least I knew no one else would be affected by my actions. But now that they've returned…"

"On comes the fake smile and humourless laugh, right?" I nodded in understanding.

Edward sighed, "It takes so much effort to forge a happy conscience and good mood, they're my family and my grieving hurts them. Especially after a year, they expect me to somehow move forward and when I don't show any signs of that, it only serves to worry them further."

"I know what you mean." I whispered, suddenly words hurt my throat and speaking became difficult.

I wrapped my arms around my knees and rested my chin upon them. Swiftly my mood had sunk from sad, to utterly miserable. Thoughts of my father rushed through my mind, and memories of his happy smile and cheerful laugh echoed into those thoughts.

It was a laugh that I would never hear again.

I felt a warm liquid race down my cheeks. They were drops. One went down, followed by another and another. I rubbed my eyes and found that I was crying. The warm salty tears impaired my vision, making it hazed and foggy as teardrops invaded my line of sight.

I felt cold, strong arms wrap around my waist and lay me down on the bed. My head came in contact with a hard cold surface that almost immediately cooled down my rapidly increasing temperature. The arms remained wrapped around me as I quietly sobbed into a soft black shirt.

Time passed by as I wept into Edward's chest. I cried and cried and his shirt absorbed all of my tears. I cried until there was nothing left in me, at which point my eyes began to flutter with fatigue. It was then that I heard a heavenly sound. I felt the vibration in Edward's chest as he beautifully hummed a melody that I'd never heard. It was sorrowful, and yet I could imagine it being played at the most happiest of days. The tune flowed perfectly with his voice and I felt my mind go blank with utter bliss as his pitch heightened and lowered.

"Shh, Leah. Sleep." He murmured.

I frowned, torn between listening to the rest of this beautiful song, and surrendering to my tired body. In the end it was my body that won, but it had not been an easy victory. My very soul had been reluctant to tune out of the wonderful sound of Edward's voice.

Ok so, let me just make you aware of a few things: 1. Yes, I was tempted to make their first kiss happen here, but that would be way to fast so yeah sorry. 2. I'm happy their getting closer slowly rather than rushing. 3. Personally I like the sarcasm and cheek Edward has in this chapter. BTW when he says; "You never answered mine." He means this question: "_Oh really_? And what does he think we're _actually_ doing then?"

* * *

><p><strong>Well thanks for reading, please review!<strong>


	11. Chapter 11

**This next chapter is set the morning after. Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 11<strong>

I woke up the next morning with a merciless headache and mortifying memories of the previous night. I groaned as visions of me blubbering on Edward's chest filled my murky mind. I had been a total mess. Not once had ever cried like that in the presence of any member of the pack. Or even my family. But suddenly Cullen came along and I'd turned into a bawling disaster.

I ran a hand through my hair. What would he think of me now? He probably thought I was just a weak, lame and retarded girl who had a ticking time bomb etched into her brain. It was only a matter of time before I completely lost my mind to insanity.

I looked around the room, and found what I'd expected but had dreaded all the same. I was alone, but the space beside me remained cold. I had been tucked into bed with my sheets layered carefully on top of me. I was surprised I wasn't sweating up a stream, as I usually wouldn't sleep with any sheets. But considering that the guy, who had acted as my teddy bear the previous night, was ice cold; there was a real possibility that I had started shivering during the night.

I lazily sat up, wincing as a rush of pain slammed into my head. I slowly massaged my temples and took in a deep breath; today was a new day with new challenges that I had to face.

With that thought in mind, I reluctantly got out of bed and prepared myself to face the world.

…

"Morning Lee-Lee."

I looked up from my coffee which steamed with heat from my favourite mug; the one that used to belong to my dad.

"Morning Seth." I said.

I found myself frowning in confusion as I observed his sly grin and raised eyebrows.

He looked far too smug for my liking.

"So Leah, how are your tutoring sessions with Edward going?"

I halted, almost dropping the mug in the process.

'_Does he know about what happened last night?'_

'_But if he does then why is he smiling?'_

Thoughts raced into my head at nearly the same haste as my stammering heart. My fear must have been shown through my facial expression, because Seth's cat-like grin widened.

I quickly picked up what was left of the coherent thoughts in my savaged brain and answered my brother with a hitched tone.

"They're fine I guess."

I nervously gulped down a gush of coffee.

"Hmm, and I suppose you've decided to use your room as a base for your… _studies_ out of _convenience_ right?"

I just about spluttered an entire mouthful of my drink.

"Well, um I don't know... What's with the interrogation, Seth?"

But my brother merely shrugged, for a moment his face seemed innocent, but it was his eyes that betrayed him. A gleam of triumph and smugness flashed in them. His eyes told all, as did the silly smirk tugging at the corners of his lips.

"There's no interrogation. I was just wondering how the tutoring with Edward was going." He said with false nonchalance.

I grabbed a napkin from the countertop and turned my back towards my sly, and frankly, annoying brother as I quickly wiped my mouth. Then my eyes narrowed to slits as I slowly realised where he was going with this.

I turned towards the grinning culprit.

"Seth, whatever you think is going on between me and Cullen, get it out of your mind because it's not happening." I told him, my voice low and eyes piercing. This was my 'don't mess with me' face.

Seth knew that face.

He feared that face.

I watched as he silently squirmed in his seat, avoiding my gaze as his interest was suddenly captured by a nearby cereal box. He murmured less confidently,

"I just thought, because you were spending so much time around him…"

I stopped him with a raised hand and shook my head vigorously in denial.

"_Hell_ no Seth. Cullen is just helping me pass this retake. There's no way in hell or heaven _above_ that we would ever…" I shook my head once more, seemingly too disgusted to even finish the sentence.

"But Leah, you've been so happy lately, even before Rachel came…"

"And that's because I've been doing well in my sessions with Cullen. If anything, he's a good teacher. But nothing will ever come of it. Got it?"

He sighed in response.

"Fine, whatever you say."

I nodded in approval, and just as I was about to leave the room, Seth stopped me.

"Leah, remind me again; what subject you've been studying _alone_, in your _bedroom_, with Edward?"

"Human biology." I answered automatically. Seth raised his eyebrows with a smirk on his silly little face.

"I thought so…"

My mind clicked and I suddenly recognised the innuendo.

Damn, I'd walked right into that one.

I growled, but decided I was too tired to say anything, so I reluctantly dragged my ass to the living room. As soon as I sat down on my favourite couch, the doorbell rang. I rolled my eyes in frustration, contemplating over getting back up and answering it.

It turned out I didn't have to, because as soon as I got up, Rachel entered the room, bringing her optimistic aura along with her.

"Hey Rachel." I said with a smile as she sat down beside me. I then felt my brows furrow when she merely responded with the raise of her brows.

'_What is it with all the eyebrow raising lately?'_

I was quickly snapped out of my thoughts when Rachel held up a neatly folded square note, on a blindingly white piece of paper.

"What is that?" I asked with mild interest.

"This is what I just found at your doorstep; would you care to explain it?" I frowned as she eagerly unfolded the note and cleared her throat theatrically.

"_Dear Leah, I apologize for my early departure, I hope you slept well, considering, and are well and fully rested for our session tonight. Please meet me at the treaty line with your equipment at six thirty. I look forward to seeing you. E... _

_P.S. I did in fact, use your door to exit your house, you were right; it's much less of a hassle, albeit slightly tedious."_

Rachel looked up from the paper in her hands and stared straight at me. She looked shocked, although I could see a gleam of triumph in her dark brown orbs. I looked away, refusing to meet her gaze, and snatched the paper straight from her unsuspecting hold. I stared at the black ink that formed words and sentences as beautiful as a Lindys Fearne Gospel.

"Leah, _who is he_? And why has he only _just_ discovered the uses of a _door_?"

I groaned. What had Edward been thinking, leaving this lying around where anyone could find it? Did he _want_ everyone to know? What if it hadn't been Rachel who picked it up; what if one of the guys had? They knew who Edward was, and they would have guessed that his calligraphy was at least a hundred years old.

"Rachel please, he's just my tutor…"

"Leah, I know he's your tutor, just tell me who _he_ is!" Rachel whined pleadingly. At this point, she was bouncing on her seat and clutching my arm as though she was a desperate five year-old in a sweet shop.

I shook my head and got up from my comfortable seat on the couch, sighing as I decided to head upstairs and start on some revision. I chuckled almost silently when I heard Rachel's final admonition.

"I will find out who he is Leah, and mark my words, when I do, you'll be thanking me."

* * *

><p>I had spent the duration of an entire year in mourning for the loss of the girl I loved. Whilst I was mourning for her, time seemed to stop and I had found myself in the same place that I had been a year ago. To me time had stood still, as though I had been frozen in my very same form. However when the ice had finally melted, I was shocked to realise that everyone around me had moved on. The state of time that I had been consumed in seemed to immediately disseminate when the rush of inconspicuous heat had surged into my personal freezer.<p>

This heat had been Leah; both literally and metaphorically.

Leah had awakened me and it was because of her that I had become aware of my surroundings and the reality that I had tried so hard to escape from.

Bella was dead.

I sighed and sat down onto my black, leather divan, picking up the awaiting text book beside me. This was the fact that I had tried persistently to avoid. I had begun to delude myself into thinking she was still alive and well, I had tortured myself with visions of what could have been. But in the end; she was dead. And there was nothing more to it.

My mind drifted towards Leah once more, and how the pain of her father's death had overwhelmed her the previous night. It had overwhelmed me too. Just the memory of her saddened face, distorted with utter pain as she cried onto my chest, filled me with a deep emotion. I had hated seeing Leah upset. The mere prospect of her feeling pain hurt me to my very core; I could handle my own pain, but I simply couldn't stand to see her so distressed.

I wanted more than anything to take her pain away, and as I'd held her in my arms, her heat neutralising the coolness of my skin, I couldn't help but think of how perfect it felt to have her there.

I ran a hand in my hair in frustration as I absorbed these new deeper feelings. I could feel the uplifting in my soul and the churn of my stomach as thoughts of Leah filled my mind. I had tried so hard not to do this, not to feel these emotions that had stabbed at my heart from the moment we'd spoken in the café that day.

I had tried so hard to spare myself of these emotions that would only cause me pain.

Because although it hurt to love,

It was far worse to love in vain.

* * *

><p><strong>Well, now that Edward's got that off his chest, he's finally able to admit that he loves Leah! BUT this doesn't mean that the story is ANYWHERE near finished! So brace yourselves, there is much more to come! Thank you for reading and please review! What do you think will happen next?<strong>


	12. Chapter 12

**Hi guys… again! I must gibe a huge pixelated kiss to all of my reviewers, they made me ecstatic which is exactly what I need a week away from my exams! Anyway, here's the next instalment of the story which occurs directly after the last chapter! Enjoy**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my laptop, free time and imagination. Well, actually not free time because I've got exams to study for…**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 12<strong>

There was a sudden knock at the door, although it was very much unnecessary as I had known the person was going to come in as soon as the thought had crossed their mind.

After I granted her permission, Tanya walked in slowly. She shifted her weight from foot to foot momentarily before realising I wasn't willing to speak. She cleared her throat nervously.

The sound echoed through the room.

"There's a family meeting downstairs, perhaps you'd like to join the others."

I looked up and turned my gaze towards her.

"Can I not just stay here and listen?" I asked my voice hoarse from disuse for I had remained isolated in my solitary presence in my room throughout the entire day.

I looked at the clock that ticked on the far wall.

_5.45pm_

"Come on Edward, I really think you should be there. You've remained in your room for the practically the entire time I've been here. Now, I have tried not to be offended by this, but surely this is no way to treat a guest."

I sighed, that had been an unfair jibe; Tanya knew I held courtesy close to my heart.

Though even that seemed to have been led astray under the example of a certain she-wolf…

I told Tanya that I would meet them all downstairs and she left swiftly afterwards with a rush of relief and content.

Staying true to my word, I soon followed suit, though the biology text book and my fountain pen remained within my clutch.

"Edward, it's nice of you to join us." Carlisle greeted contently.

I nodded in response.

"So now that everyone's here, would you mind telling us what all of this is about?" Rosalie said impatiently.

I silently took a seat and opened the text book, my mind drifting away into a world of haematosis.

Carlisle simply smiled sympathetically. "We have called you all to inform you that we have decided to move away. Our time here in Forks is over."

I nearly dropped the book that I held in my hands.

"Oh thank _God_ for that, this place is so dreary; I'd rather take my chances in Italy than stay here." Rosalie said with relief.

"Well, Rose I don't think we'd go that far." Esme paused and looked at Tanya, who subtly nodded with a smile.

"Actually, with many thanks to the Denali's recommendation, we have found a perfect area to reside in. It's situated in a small town in the outskirts of Alaska and there is a perfect place for us to build a house."

"Yes, and of course we would be glad to help out with anything at all." Tanya completed with an excited smile. Her gaze travelled towards me momentarily but I barely registered the eye contact.

We were going to move?

_No _

_They_ were going to move.

Alice gushed excitedly, her grasp on Jasper's arm tightened and she pictured a perfect house in the middle of nowhere. Only it wouldn't be in Nowhere; it would be in Alaska.

"This is just perfect. I think it's about due; we all need a change of scene."

It must have only lasted for a millisecond, but for a moment Alice's eyes met mine and a wave of sympathy flooded into my head. I frowned.

"Well I hope you all enjoy Alaska, but I'm not moving anywhere."

All eyes turned to me; I knew through their thoughts that they'd predicted I would be reluctant to leave, and yet they were all surprised that I had spoken.

Alice was first to respond, her bright orbs were filled with sympathy.

"Edward, we know this must be hard for you, but this would be good; for all of us."

"But we only just moved here, no one has suspected anything of us and we could still stay here for a while."

Carlisle stepped in, "Edward, this is more than just about our survival, it's about all of us being comfortable in the place we are staying in and obviously this is not the case for you."

I laughed humourless and shook my head, but said nothing.

Carlisle frowned, the hint of worry betraying his forever faultlessly calm composure.

"Alice." He raised a brow at her and she nodded.

As though following a plan, Esme then led out the others and Carlisle followed suit. It was only Alice and I in the room and my brows furrowed in confusion, and then frustration surged through when I discovered everyone's mind was blocked off. Alice had filled her head with thoughts of a designer's autumn collection, and her face remained neutral and void of any emotion.

I heard the click of the door as it was closed by Emmett; obviously he'd wanted to leave last so he could eavesdrop for as long as possible.

I looked down at the book on my lap, and Alice's gaze followed my own.

'_He met Bella in biology.'_

My eyes shot up at her thoughts and I almost winced at the reminder. I had not even made the connection with Bella through the text book, and yet I was going to be accused of doing so. Alice was now probably convinced I was using the book in some deranged ritual in memory of my late lover.

"Alice what is it? Why are we suddenly moving?" I asked sharply, deciding to get to the point.

My gaze averted to a clock which hung proudly on the opposite wall.

6.08 pm

I _literally_ didn't have time for this.

Alice sighed and rested her elbows on her knees.

"Edward, we need to move. I know this place is just…" She paused as she desperately searched for the right words.

"Edward, staying here is just hurting you. It reminds you so much of Bella that you barely even leave your room anymore."

I wanted to protest, and tell her that she was wrong, that I hadn't stayed in my room throughout the entire time they'd left. In fact I'd done the contrary. But I remained silent, choosing to drink in the information as I sensed the climax of her well rehearsed speech.

"Edward… I can't see you anymore in my visions." She whispered. For a moment I remained still, taking in what Alice had just told me and the expression of worry and desperation on her face.

But after a moment, as I was still lost for words, I began to fiddle with the corner of the text book. The rough sharp corners of each page brushed along my finger as I stroked it. Alice's worry only seem to increase when she saw this; a vampire could remain still for a week without fail and yet I had begun to fiddle with a book. It was such a human thing to do.

She assumed I was doing it out of nervousness; she thought I felt guilty.

"Alice, are you supposing that I have plans to commit suicide based on the fact you can't see me in your visions?"

She averted her gaze towards the ground and answered almost silently.

"Edward, we know you're devastated about her death…"

"And so you think that because of this, I would kill myself?" I chuckled without humour. I had spent an entire year wishing for my death and the moment I found a reason to remain 'living', she was accusing me of considering suicide.

_The irony_.

"You're right; I did want to die at first. I saw no reason to live without Bella and so I wanted to end it all."

Alice's mouth opened to speak, but I continued, "However, now, believe it or not, I have found a perfectly good reason to remain 'alive' so to speak, and it would be far more convenient if I stayed in Forks."

I felt a genuine smile reach my lips as my thoughts diverted back to the wild she-wolf.

Alice's narrowed, and before she could even speak, her thoughts were loudly projected into my head.

'_Oh my, there's someone else!'_

My eyes shot up at her.

"Alice no…" but it was too late, her mind was running at two hundred miles per hour as she summed up my behaviour and the so-called _obvious_ reasons behind it.

"There's someone else, isn't there?" Her eyes widened and a smile crept to her lips. I ran a hand through my hair, far too emotionally exhausted to deny it.

"Oh Edward! Who is she? What is she like? Where does she live- well in Forks obviously but you know what I mean…"

I groaned.

Leah _didn't_ live in Forks.

"Is that hers?" Alice nodded towards the book in my hands.

I shook my head and my gaze travelled across the room once more.

6.23 pm

"Alice, I need to go for a walk, I'll return later." I murmured getting up.

Alice shot up and skilfully manoeuvred so she stood in front of me; blocking my pathway.

"Alice _please_…"

"You're going to see her, aren't you?" Her eyes lit up and suddenly the expression on her face became mischievous. I tried to move past her once more, but she merely sidestepped back into my line of view.

"When are we going to meet her?" she asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about; I'm going for a walk." I said lamely, but it had even sounded weak in my own ears, and I couldn't contain the small smile on my lips. Alice merely raised her brow and folded her arms, but let me pass through. I had reached the door when Alice whispered.

"You know we only want you to be happy right?"

I turned around and looked at her.

"I'm getting there."

* * *

><p>Yey he's getting there! Anyway, next chapter will be catching up with Leah and Edward and it will be posted up tomorrow so fill you souls with joy! Please review, I love to hear your thoughts! Thank you for reading!<p> 


	13. Chapter 13

**Firstly, before you happily get on with the reading, I would just like to appolagize to those who were kind enough to review but didn't get the immediate response I had promised. Once again it seems like the weekend just slipped away and I found myself with no time to post the next chapter up. Anyway, in resturn for your patience I present an especially long chapter dedicated to all my faithful reviewers. Thank you so much!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, obviously. **

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 13<strong>

When I arrived at the treaty line, it was twenty-seven minutes passed six and I had three minutes to spare. I had decided to run to the meeting point, not because I was in a rush, but merely to feel a resemblance of the sense of freedom that I'd experienced whilst hunting in Seattle. It had felt good to be out in the wild, and I made a mental note to join the rest of my family on the next 'hike'.

"Well look who decided to show up."

I turned around to be met by a seemingly annoyed she-wolf. She stood with her arms crossed and a single foot tapped against the damp earth. I took in the vision of the girl before me. She wore a simple crimson dress with a white collar which matched her white flats. On top of her dress hung a thin white, cotton cardigan and her coal black hair was done up in a single complex French braid which elegantly draped over her shoulder. I found myself staring yearningly as I absorbed the perfect copper skin of her face and her dark chocolate orbs.

_She was beautiful._

"Hello, Edward? Is anyone in there?"

I was snapped out of my thoughts as she waved her hand directly in my line of vision.

I frowned; somehow this girl would always find a way to frustrate me.

"Hello Leah." I said somewhat sarcastically. She merely rolled her eyes in response.

"So, are we going to be doing this here?" she asked, looking around displeasingly. I grinned as she cutely scrunched up her nose when she spotted a large muddy puddle beside an over towering tree.

"No, I have somewhere else in mind, follow me." I answered and swiftly began to make my journey towards the place I had in mind.

"Wait a minute," I turned to face Leah, perplexed.

"Yes?"

She frowned and looked down at her shoes, "Yeah, um this isn't going to work."

I chuckled.

"Would you rather I carried you?" I suggested, feeling my chest swell at the idea.

Leah snorted and rolled her eyes, "Um, no. I'll walk, but thanks anyway."

As she walked beside me, for the first time I realised she was carrying what looked to be a heavy bag of books.

"Could I at least carry that for you?" I asked, gesturing towards the bag.

After a lot of persuasion, Leah finally allowed me to carry her bag as I led her on our hike. She would occasionally mutter obscenities and curse her choice of footwear, but whenever I reoffered to carry her, she scowled and walked faster. I tried to tell myself she was just being difficult, that she was just being _Leah_. But I found it hard not to get hurt. Whenever I would meet her gaze, she would look away and stare down towards the ground.

I was confused; she'd been so willing to open up to me just the previous night and yet now she didn't seem to even want to look at me. She had closed herself up twice as quicker than before.

It was a constant reminder that my love for her would never be fruitful. And yet, just by looking at her, my desire to be with her had doubled. I wanted to be able to love her openly, not have the secret burn in my soul eternally. But she would never accept that, she would never allow herself to belong to a parasite.

I swallowed hard, and pushed these thoughts to the back of my mind. I stopped abruptly and turned to face Leah, who, apart from looking slightly flustered, seemed fine.

"We've arrived." I murmured once I'd turned away from her.

….

I looked up when Edward told me we'd arrived at the mysterious place he'd headed off to. At first when he'd told me we were going on this walk, I'd been really pissed off.

And rightly so

As I stood there, my white cardigan was soiled with mud, as were my new white shoes, which were utterly ruined by the soil and muddy puddles throughout the forest. I was also admittedly tired, each long stride made the muscles in my legs ache and my lungs burn. I was continuously reminded of the long hike I'd already gone on with Embry just the previous day.

Nonetheless, I refused to show any signs of my tiredness. I knew Edward was fully willing to carry me on the way there; what had worried me was how willing I'd been to let him. For a moment I had actually considered taking him up on his offer, and not just because I was shattered.

I looked up, only to find myself totally transfixed at the view before me. We'd arrived at a beautiful waterfall. Everything surrounding us was wild; the grass was a much more vibrant green and the tree over towering us had much thicker branches and looked beautifully nourished. It was only then that I noticed the sounds around us; the animals scuttling behind bushes, the leaves fluttering in the wind and the distinctive sound of a steady flow of water in the background.

I took a deep breath; everything was so fresh here.

We couldn't be in Forks.

"We're not. This is just outside of Forks, about a few miles down south." Edward said, his eyes scanning over the area, as though looking for something.

My brows furrowed at the answer to my unsaid question, and he smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry, force of habit."

I frowned, but remained silent, refusing to let his annoying ability ruin the beautiful scenery. I also literally couldn't speak because my breath was still hitched from the all the walking.

After I regained my breath, I finally decided to speak.

"It's pretty here."

Edward turned towards me and shrugged. "I found it a few days ago, whilst I was out here." He paused, his gaze stinging me a second longer than I'd anticipated. I looked away, but from the corner of my eye I saw his jaw clench.

"It's quite nice." I nodded.

After an uncomfortable silence, Edward walked on, and from the vivid sounds that appeared to be getting louder and louder, I suspected he was bringing me closer to the waterfall. I almost winced at the thought.

'_My poor shoes.'_

After a while of walking we reached the waterfall. It was smaller than expected and yet much grander also. The water was a grey-blue colour and it flowed hurriedly, but didn't gush uncontrollably. It was peaceful and apparently quite clean.

But I couldn't say as much for the land around it.

Surrounding the waterfall was what literally looked like a pit of mud. There was mud everywhere, and where there wasn't mud there was water. I groaned.

'_That's just taking the piss.'_

"You're doing this on purpose" I said as I regarded him, my arms firmly crossed and eyes narrowed into slits. Edward grinned, his gaze travelling to my soiled shoes and back up to my face. He then chuckled.

Yes, that's right; _he had the nerve to laugh at me._

Just as I'd turned around to find something hard enough to throw at him, I found that my feet had left the ground and I was now in his cold, hard embrace in a matter of seconds. Edward moved lithely and swiftly; his actions were too fast for me to track. I felt a sudden gush of wind and I clutched onto his neck when I realised that, for a moment, we weren't on the ground.

I swallowed nervously, but Edward soon made a perfectly stable landing, like a cat, and let me down onto my feet. I stumbled once my feet touched the ground and he automatically wrapped an arm around my waist to steady me. But I hardly noticed; I was too busy trying to survive a heart attack.

"What the hell?" I said breathlessly, taking in my new surroundings and clutching my chest. We were on the other side of the water fall.

Edward smiled at me guiltily and I suddenly couldn't find it in me to tell him off. After all, it wasn't as if _I _would have been able to jump over the waterfall; not even in my wolf form.

"I thought it would be more appropriate if we studied here." He said, his eyes meeting mine.

I didn't look away

I didn't flinch

I could barely breathe

_Literally_

Edward's brows furrowed and he suddenly looked very worried.

"Leah, are you alright?" he asked, he placed his hand on my shoulder and the sudden contact of his cool skin woke me from my trance.

"Don't _ever_ do that again." I stuttered slumping onto a surprisingly dry boulder and resting my elbows onto my knees.

I couldn't help but wander why I was suddenly so easily exhausted, perhaps it was because it had been a while since I'd shifted. I felt more human now than I'd felt in a while.

Soon Edward joined me on the boulder and we started our study session. But my mind was as far away from biology as it could possibly get. There was voice telling me at the back of my mind that this would be one of last times I'd get to spend time with him. I had tried as hard as I could to push those thoughts away from my head, but the voice never silenced. I felt my mood sadden at the prospect of never being able to mock, or joke with Cullen again.

Of course friendship would have been an option, if it hadn't been for the fact that I was a shifter, designed to kill him and the rest of his kind. Sure, Seth had remained good friends with him, but my brother was naive and no one had expected anything less from him because of it.

I, however, would be a different story.

If everyone knew I was friends with him, I'd never live it down. I had a hard time just _thinking_ about what would happen if I shifted and the guys found out about the tutoring as it was. I shuddered at the thought.

Edward looked up from his book, and his melodic reading ceased.

"Are you cold?" he asked, his hand quickly moving towards the zip of his jacket. I shook my head hastily, declining his unsaid offer.

"No I'm fine." I said relieved to find that he didn't know the true reason why I'd shuddered. I knew I'd die of mortification if he'd been reading my mind.

Once again, I found it impossible to concentrate as Edward resumed reading the text book and explaining the different concepts. His words flowed as effortlessly as the waterfall beside us, and his voice made my insides turn to mush.

'_This is so not good.'_

I gulped as I found myself staring at him rather than the book he held in his pale, strong hands. My eyes travelled from his dark copper locks, to his glowing topaz orbs that were framed by an annoyingly long set of lashes.

I distinctively remembered a conversation with Rachel during which we complained about how unfair it was for a guy to have long lashes. Because it really was unfair, considering they didn't even need it. It wasn't a manly feature that they could appreciate. And yet there they were strolling around with long lashes whilst we rummaged in our bags for mascara.

My eyes quickly moved along to his straight nose and strong jaw. And then his lips.

_God those lips._

I shook my head and it finally dawned on me that I should probably have been paying attention to what those lips were saying. I was meant to have been studying biology and yet the only thing I'd studied were the assets of Cullen's face. And I very much doubted that that was going to be on the test.

"Wait what were you saying?" I said, shaken out of my thoughts.

"I was reciting the alphabet in Italian." He said seriously.

My eyes narrowed in confusion.

"Huh?"

Edward chuckled and closed the book, his face looked accusing but there was a glint of humour in his gaze. My eyes immediately returned to his lips where they lay a smirk.

"You weren't listening to a word I was saying Leah." He said, shaking his head with disapproval.

'_Uh oh, busted.'_

I bit my lip, but then quickly denied it.

"I _was_ listening; you said you were, and I quote; 'reciting the alphabet in Italian'."

Edward shook his head and laughed. The sound made my gut clench, and butterflies invade my stomach.

"Am I boring you?" he asked, amused.

I snorted.

'_Far from it.'_

"Yes, as a matter of fact you are. I'm so bloody bored, I feel like drowning myself in that waterfall." I answered sarcastically.

"You know, I think you're ready for the test."

I gulped, "You know I was just kidding about the being bored thing right?"

Edward nodded, then shrugged

"But you still are ready."

"How do you know; have you seen the test?"

I closed my eyes and winced, it was the most stupid question I had to have asked him.

Edward chuckled half-heartedly.

"Why yes, Leah, I have."

I ignored his answer and dropped my head backwards. I gazed at the sky, admiring the perfect view of glittering stars in the black blanket of night. It was breathtaking; or at least, for one who could breathe.

I sighed peacefully and leaned back on the rock, spreading my legs out in front of me and letting my arms spread out at my sides and then rest on the rock also.

As soon as my head landed in the surface, I was surprised to find a soft pillow below it, rather than the rough plane of the rock. I sat up and look down; it was Edward's jacket.

"Thank you." I murmured, slowly laying back down and staring at the stars. There was barely a single sound other than the soft constant soundtrack of the waterfall and the rustle in the trees every now and then.

And then there was his soft voice, as he hummed the familiar tune under his breath.

I closed my eyes and a slight smile made its way to my lips.

I had never felt such peace.

* * *

><p><strong>Well… I think it's clear <em>now<em> that Leah has feelings for Edward, but damn, I wanted to find a way for her to think those thoughts without him reading them. He can't because she's got a good wall set up in her mind. Anyways, reviews will be appreciated! Thank you for reading x**


	14. Chapter 14

**OK, so it's been a while, I'm just going to briefly tell you that my exam season has kicked in, so yeah… enough said. Anyway, I just wanted to update this for all of you awesome reviewers! Thank you again! I hope you like this chapter, it's relatively long I suppose and it's what we've been anticipating (In terms of Leah's studies) but the **_**next**_** one is the one to watch… (or read) Well happy readings!**

**Disclaimer: I have no time for this… you know the drill.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 14<strong>

"Jake, Jacob?" I shook the large, copper skinned male who lay asleep on his couch.

"Jacob, wake up!" I shook him harder.

He grunted.

"Whaa…"

"Jake get up you lazy piece of ass!" I demanded, interrupting his incoherent words. Jacob's eyes fluttered open and I was met with the hazed glance of his dark orbs.

"Leah? Huh?" he groaned as he slowly sat up and stared at me confusedly; as though I'd grown two extra heads.

"Yes it's me; Leah. Now get up and off your lazy ass, I need a ride to Forks."

Jacob looked at me warily and then rubbed the sleep off his eyes; it was hard not to smile at the adorable sight.

"What time is it?" he looked over at the clock on the wall. It was half-past nine in the morning.

He groaned.

"Why are you going to Forks? And more importantly, why do I have to take you?"

I rolled my eyes, "What is this; twenty-one questions? Get up and go get dressed already! I need you to give me a ride."

"Why? You've got a licence; just grab the car keys and leave." He murmured, running a hand through his newly chopped hair.

"I can't, I want to study on the way." I said impatiently.

"Damn, you're always studying, is there even anything left to study?"

I grabbed a nearby pillow and hit him on the head, a scowl formed on my lips.

"You've got five minutes." I hissed and sauntered to the kitchen, leaving him glowering and rubbing the back of his head.

A week had passed since the evening I'd spent at the waterfall with Edward, and during these days I'd had hour long sessions with him in preparation for his test. It was only at our last session did he affirm the set date, and I'd only grown with dread as the day came nearer and nearer.

But today was the day of my test, and Edward had told me he would meet me at the library in Forks at eleven sharp. This meant that if I headed there at this time, I would have at least an hour of quick revision before he arrived. I tapped my nails against the surface of the wooden table, willing Jake to hurry up.

It had taken him ten minutes, but when he was finally ready, we headed off towards the library. At first Jacob had been suspicious as to why I needed to go to the library in Forks, but I'd merely brushed him off, stating that the library in the Res didn't have the best facilities. Then I'd told him to shut up because I was trying to study and he'd obliged; although a tad reluctantly.

We shortly arrived at the library and after muttering a 'thanks' and bidding Jacob goodbye, I entered the fairly large building, armed with my text book, a notebook and a pen and pencil. I took a deep breath and walked in.

I chose to sit at an isolated table in the corner of the 'Quiet Zone'. Why the library had a 'Quiet Zone' was beyond me; after all, wasn't the _whole building_ supposed to remain quiet? If you asked me, I'd say it only encouraged people to be as _loud_ as they wanted in _other_ areas.

I opened up my book and willed myself to concentrate as the words sunk into my over-worked brain. I'd barely slept the previous night, and when my body had finally given in to my fatigue at around four in the morning, I had dozed off with my notebook as my pillow and my pen as a teddy bear.

Although this wasn't my official retake, I knew the test Edward would give me would be challenging. The guy knew the subject like the back of his hand. I remembered when he'd once recited the whole chapter word for word from memory. I'd been utterly surprised and impressed; _why couldn't I do that?_

I turned the page and a loud yawn escaped my lips. My eyelids suddenly felt like they weighed a tonne.

"You seem very tired."

My head immediately shot up and I came face to face with a very concerned and slightly accusing Edward. He was standing over me, his arms crossed over his chest and a frown formed by his lips.

"You're early." I complained rubbing my temples.

He raised a brow and glanced at his watch.

"Actually, it's now quarter passed eleven." He stated.

I gasped and looked at my own watch which revealed he was in fact correct. How long had he been standing there?

Edward took a seat on the chair opposite me and placed a bundle of sheets on the table.

I gulped.

"You know, part of your preparation for this test was to sleep well. You look as though you stayed up all night."

I frowned; was he saying I looked horrible? I groaned inwardly; I probably did looked like crap, but it didn't mean he had to say it.

"Well that's because I have."I said a touch defensively.

"I seem to continuously offend you unintentionally." He murmured

"I'm sorry Leah, I was just saying…"

"Yeah, it's fine." I sighed, "I probably look a right mess anyway."

Edward snorted, and I looked up

"Far from it. Leah… _you're beautiful_."

Everything halted inside of me at that moment and I suddenly couldn't speak, nor think coherent thoughts.

'_Did he just say that?'_

I felt a warm blush creep up to my cheeks as I looked down at my books, embarrassed and awkward.

Edward cleared his throat,

"Well I guess I should give you this now."

He handed me the bundle of pages, and I blinked at it.

"You're kidding right?" I said, staring at what appeared to be virtually my entire text book.

I gulped harder.

"It's only thirty pages long, the individual pages aren't double sided." He paused and looked at me, his face calm and reassuring. "Don't worry Leah; I promise you, it'll be easy, you know everything that's in there."

"I should know," he added slyly. "I wrote it."

I eyes widened in utter surprise at his words.

"What do you mean you wrote it?" I exclaimed.

It seemed to be a little louder than necessary as the librarian shushed me and gave me the evil eye. It took just about all of my willpower not to throw my text book at her.

Edward chuckled watching the scene; he sat back and crossed his arms.

"I wrote the test… or rather I typed it."

"What… why?" I hissed.

He shrugged and gave one of the most evil and annoyingly sexy smiles.

"I was bored."

I clenched my teeth and tried to cool down the fire burning within me. I couldn't afford to get arrested for murder _just yet_.

I grabbed my pen and took a deep breath, staring at the paper in front of me. I closed my eyes and opened them again.

'_Damn it's still there.'_

"You have an hour and forty-five minutes. Good luck; you're time starts…now."

There was a mild rush of wind, and when I looked up I realised that he was gone. I sighed, telling myself that it was a good thing. Him sitting there staring at me for an hour and a half would only prove to be distracting.

Very distracting.

'Leah focus!'

'_Sorry brain.'_

'Start, he said you could start!'

'_Oh right.'_

I turned to the first page and my eyes lit up with recognition, I began to scrawl down answers, it was the same for page, after page, after black and white page. Whenever I would see a question, I would think of the way he would explain it to me and then the answer would _pop_ into my head more than conveniently. I looked at the numbers beside each question;

He even had his own mark scheme!

'_What the hell? This is what he does when he's bored?'_

I felt my mind slowly drift away as thoughts of what he did during his spare time began to creep in. It was very though-provoking considering he didn't need to sleep and all. I quickly averted my thoughts away from Edward and turned to the next page. I stared at the blank white page which only had the words _'end of test'_ typed at its centre.

'_I've finished!'_

I sighed with relief and looked at the clock above. I had eight minutes to spare. I quickly ran through the pages, double-checking all of my answers, dotting i's, crossing t's…

"Time's up."

I looked up to find Edward, once again sitting opposite me; as though he'd never left.

I silently gave him the paper, my heart pounding in my chest as he got out a pen.

I started squirming in my chair whilst studying my text book, which he'd replaced my paper with.

I hadn't even noticed him take it.

I flicked through the pages, desperately trying to remember what answers I'd written on the paper and whether or not they were correct.

I wanted Edward to be harsh and mark justly, because I knew an external examiner would be. But I also didn't want him to be disappointed with my result, he'd seemed so sure I was ready; but I couldn't help the wave of doubt that slowly consumed me.

I bit my newly painted nails, knowing that Rachel would have a fit if she found out.

After what seemed like five years, but had only been five minutes, Edward quickly wrote my result on the front page and then slapped the paper onto the table and pushed it towards me.

My eyes rushed towards it.

It was upside down.

"Seriously?"

He merely shrugged; his face was neutral and his eyes void of all emotion.

I slowly took the paper in my hands and closed my eyes.

I flipped it over.

And opened my eyes…

I frowned

'_Where is my result?'_

I looked up at him perplexed but he merely nodded towards the paper.

I frowned at the paragraph inked into the white paper in his script.

"Why couldn't you just right the number?" I asked annoyed.

He shrugged, "I want you to read the comment."

I sighed and lazily read the paragraph written in red ink.

'_Bla bla bla… skill, bla bla bla... understanding'_

I froze and held up the paper to my face, to ensure I'd read the words correctly.

"Ninety-eight percent! I got ninety-eight percent?" I squealed and shot up out of my seat.

The annoying librarian shushed me again; she even had the nerve to tap her pen against the table.

I scowled at her,

"Shh, yourself." I called out to her, and very nearly even emphasised my point with my _fingers_, but I didn't for Edward's sake. The guy looked shocked enough as it is.

"I can't believe I passed!"

Edward face broke into a dazzling grin.

"I can; you worked hard…"

"Well yeah but ninety-eight percent? Are you sure you're not being generous?"

He snorted.

"Hardly. I didn't give you full marks simply because you missed out a point in your last answer."

"Oh wow, this is amazing!" I sighed with content.

"We should celebrate." Edward stood up and took my bag.

I decided to let that one slide.

"In fact," he continued with a smile,

"I'd like to take you somewhere."

I grimaced

"It's not another hike is it?" I asked looking down at my sandals.

Edward chuckled, "No it isn't, I can drive us there if you'd like."

He looked squarely at me and his smile faltered; his gaze seemed to somehow seek my permission.

I shrugged, "Sure."

Edward led me out of the library and into his car, which was parked beside it. My mind raced with guesses as to where he could possibly be taking me.

The movies?

His house?

A dark alleyway?

After barely ten minutes, we arrived at an old dance studio at the edge of town. He parked the car and turned of the ignition. I raised a brow.

"What are we doing here?"

He only answered with a mere smirk and two words;

"You'll see."

* * *

><p><strong>Well, thanks for reading, and Please, pretty please, review!<strong>


	15. Chapter 15

**Hello, again guys! I hope you all enjoy the next instalment of the story. I jut wanted to thank everyone who reviewed they really made me smile on this stressful week of exams! I do hope more of you will review for this chapter, without sounding too much like a review whore…**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything but an uncontrollable imagination and my (currently burning) physics text book. *sigh* **_**my life**_** : (**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 15<strong>

I knew as soon as we arrived at the dance studio that Leah was not a fan of dancing, however I had been pleasantly surprised when she'd agreed to let me guide her inside. When we entered the building there was a sudden burst of loud music, it was slightly overwhelming and I had to fight the urge to cover my ears.

I had signed us up for the dance session that had been organised for charity and sponsored by none other than my family. There were nine other couples enlisted for our two-hour session, and that suited me perfectly well for I knew Leah would be even more hesitant towards dancing alone with me. I lead her into the main foyer where we were introduced to the manager of the studio and an assistant of the event.

I greeted both women and then informed them of my planned arrangement. The assistant nodded and took Leah's hand.

Her eyes widened,

"What's going on, I thought we were watching." She said hesitantly.

I chuckled, "No Leah, we'll be participating."

Leah's face showed an expression of utter shock and for a moment, I feared she had stopped breathing. She stood absolutely still on the spot and it took a lot of physical strength from the assistant, Nina, to pull her towards the dressing rooms.

"Come along now." Nina said, coaxing her. Leah still seemed dazed as she slowly began to follow Nina. She sent me a sharp glare that almost had me physically shivering with fear.

_This would be interesting…_

….

I stood at the back of the large hall which was to be our practice room for the session as it was the biggest room available. The class was about to begin and Leah still hadn't left the changing room. I could hear her mutter obscenities as Nina patiently assured her that she had nothing to fear. I sighed, thankful that I'd given Nina the warning beforehand.

The room was now filled with the other dance partners; friends, couples, husbands and wives.

I swallowed, hard.

Where was Leah?

A moment had not passed when my eyes found Nina exiting the changing rooms. I frowned when I realised she was alone. But she then gestured towards someone, whispering encouraging words with an effortless smile on her face.

Then suddenly the whole world seemed to stop rotating as a figure stepped out and entered the hall. She was tall and elegant and seemed serene despite the scowl on her face. Her black hair had been skilfully pulled into a tight plaited bun; only locks of her hair had escaped its tight hold. My eyes travelled down towards the red dress that she wore; it was a soft silk that clung to her body in not at all a modest fashion. Only the knee-length flounced skirt left much to the imagination… On her feet she wore gold dance-shoes which shimmered as she walked towards me.

It was the click of the heels that snapped me out of the trance, but I still couldn't take my eyes off her.

"You are a dead man Cullen." She hissed. Her brown orbs narrowed into slits and her finger pointed accusingly at me.

I simply stared at her and realised that in a sea of pinks, yellows and purples, Leah was the only girl in red.

I gulped.

"That's right; you should be afraid; _very afraid_."

I could help the chuckle that escaped my lips then, at her warning. Had a death threat ever sounded so inviting?

Leah glared at me, but her upcoming rant was stopped by the arrival of our dance instructor, who immediately sent every couple to their own space.

After the quick optimistic introduction, Sarah, the instructor, turned on the music and announced she would be teaching us how to waltz. She quickly got us to work, explaining that the best way to learn how to dance was to actually dance, and I couldn't disagree.

I slowly turned towards Leah, consumed by a wave of nervousness as my eyes met her leaning form. She gazed back at me warily, she no longer seemed raged, but rather self-conscious as I took her hand and gently pulled her away from the wall she'd been leaning on.

I led her towards me and she slowly followed. We then stood face to face, with only a slither of space between us. I held up our clasped hands and hesitantly placed my other hand on the curve of her back.

She shivered at the contact.

She then slowly placed a hand on my shoulder, and I immediately felt the heat of her flesh seep through my shirt and grace my cool skin.

The music suddenly started; initially low but gradually its volume increased, Sarah counted us in and soon we found ourselves gliding across the floor. I was surprised as I effortlessly led Leah across the room, her movements were impeccable and not once did she hesitate or falter; she remained calm, her back as straight as an arrow and her gaze never left mine.

I quickly found myself entranced by her hypnotic stare; her eyes seem to melt into liquid chocolate as she became consumed by the smooth rhythmical music.

Her toffee coloured skin glowed under the studio lights, and her hair seemed glossed and polished; she seemed to be radiating an utter peace that had been locked up inside of her, and as we danced she was slowly, unintentionally feeding it to me.

The music sped up into the bridge and after a moment of mental debate, I spun her around, barely registering the praise that Sarah gave us as my gaze remained transfixed on the smile on her soft, inviting lips. When she spun back, I held her closer than I had before and my hand landed dangerously low on her back.

A grin found its way to my lips and she meekly smiled back. Out of absolutely nowhere, I seemed to find a bundle of courage and suddenly dared to dip her. When her gaze met mine once more she looked surprised and I knew I would have been terribly scolded if I'd done this in the presence of my father. He was most certainly rolling in his grave at that very moment.

"Ooh I see we have some feisty ones at the back there." Sarah exclaimed over the music. She'd taken a pause from helping a nearby couple to observe us. Leah glanced towards her and blushed, her composure tentative for the shortest moment before she regained it.

…

All too soon, the session ended and after our last dance, Leah seemed breathless but content; a small self-conscious smile formed on her sweet lips as her gaze met mine. I literally hadn't stopped gawking at her throughout the entire duration of the session, but thankfully she hadn't noticed.

I watched as Leah made her way to the changing room, sauntering towards the exit with a new found courage as her heels _clicked_ confidently on the polished floor of the hall. A few male dancers approached her and a growl nearly erupted in my throat as I felt a pang of jealousy. But Leah scarcely hesitated in completely ignoring their immature callings to her.

She returned shortly afterwards, dressed in her previous outfit and she held her bag on her shoulder. Her hair had now been released from the tight hold of the plaited bun and it now gently flowed freely in the fluttering breeze under the air-conditioning. Once she reached me, she regarded me with a single nod and I led her towards the exit.

We left the studio after bidding farewell to the both Sarah and Nina, who hugged Leah and asked her to return soon. We walked to my car and once we'd got in and I'd begun to drive, I felt my will break and I suddenly felt an urge to hear her voice, for we'd remained in silence since we'd left the building.

"Penny for your thoughts?" I murmured, turning to face her.

Leah remained silent.

I sighed, "You haven't spoken to me since you threatened to kill me two hours ago."

She snorted and finally faced me.

"Well, I guess I could spare your life. It wasn't as bad as I'd thought it would be."

I feigned a sigh of relief, "I really appreciate the mercy you've shown me."

Leah rolled her eyes, but a smile crept towards her lips.

"Where did you learn to waltz?"

She delicately lifted a brow, "How do you know I've ever waltzed before?"

I smirked, "You're good, very good. And I don't believe that it's due to a natural talent."

She snickered half-heartedly. Then her eyes became solemn, "My dad used to take me to classes." She shrugged, "I like dancing; it's fun."

I raised a brow incredulously.

"Really, so why is it that you were kicking and screaming when we got to the studio?"

"I said I like dancing; but not necessarily with you. _Come on _Cullen, you were probably alive when the waltz was _created_; I was only dreading it because I feared you'd judge me. Besides I wasn't kicking; much."

A long silence settled into the car, and it wasn't necessarily uncomfortable. After a while Leah asked,

"Where are you whisking me off to now?"

I smirked, "A restaurant in town, I reserved a placed there as I figured you'd be hungry after all that dancing and doing the test."

"Well ok, I can't argue with that."

We arrived at the restaurant shortly afterwards and by the look on her face I could tell she was impressed. She suddenly seemed more self-conscious and as we approached the assistant manager, her posture seemed to straighten and she was far tenser.

I frowned, it hadn't been my intention to make her uncomfortable; I'd wanted her to enjoy the scenery, not feel belittled by it.

We were guided to our reserved table; it was at a booth at the far end of the more private part of the restaurant. It wasn't long before a waiter came to our table and asked us for our choice of drinks. I simply asked for a glass of water which I had no intention to drink, and Leah requested a glass of orange juice.

When the waiter left, Leah looked directly at me, a grin planted on her face.

"How many glasses of water do you think you've wasted in your lifetime?" she asked pointedly.

I chuckled and ran a hand through my hair nervously.

"Far too many."

* * *

><p><strong>Thank you for reading, the next chapter is very exciting! I'm sure you'll enjoy it… when I post it up! Pretty please leave reviews and someone please PM telling me how to work out Potential Difference for Physics! Seriously, wtf?<strong>


	16. Chapter 16

**Hi guys, sorry to leave you in suspense, but here's the next chapter! Hope you enjoy and thank you to the very much appreciated reviews, especially jberri79, your reviews are always awesome! Happy readings to all!**

**Disclaimer…. (insert the obvious here…) **_**I don't own Twilight.**_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 16<strong>

I lost track of time whilst we were at the restaurant that Edward had brought me to. At first when he'd told me that he'd made a reservation there, my heart had all but somersaulted in my chest; the entire day, barring my test in the morning, was starting to resemble to a date. I immediately dismissed the thought as quickly as it had come.

Of course it wasn't a date, we were just two _almost-friends_ going out to a dance session then having dinner. Well, at least; _I _was having dinner.

'_Yeah, that totally isn't what you'd do on a date with a guy you like.'_

I frowned at the annoying voice in my head and my brain snappily told it to '_shut the hell up'_.

I shook my head inwardly at myself.

'_I've officially lost my mind.'_

I sat back on my chair, my insides warm and fluffy as they slowly digested the delicious enormous pizza I'd just eaten. There had been a wide variety of foods on the menu, and I'd almost choked on my drink when I saw barbeque ribs in swirled script on the card in my hands. But regrettably, I had ordered a pizza instead after smartly deciding to stay well away from any messy foods that involved savagely ripping out flesh.

I'd almost ended up ordering a salad.

_Almost_

But thankfully, my growling tummy had stopped that _disaster_ from happening.

The pizza had turned out to be great and I found it hard not to wolf down the entire plate in a mouthful; I timed every bite strategically so I wouldn't be eating too fast or too slow. All in all, eating around an attractive vampire in a date-_like_ situation was hard, exhausting work; especially given that I was downright famished and my sense of smell was leading me towards the nearby kitchen.

I sighed.

Food would always be my weakness.

That: and apparently guys with pale white skin, bronze coloured hair and a very attractive crooked grin...

"Would you like dessert?" Edward asked taking the dessert menu and glancing at the options. My eyes lit up at the thought and he grinned at my sudden alertness.

"Should I take that as a yes?"

I grinned, taking my own menu and gawping at the luscious desserts available.

But then my eyes took sight of the watch on my wrist.

_7.16 pm_

'_God this is torture.'_

I shook my head reluctantly, "I can't, I need to get home soon. I told Seth I'd be back hours ago." I said, truly regrettably, and not just because of the dessert. Edward's face seem to fall and he quietly murmured,

"I see. I guess we should leave now then." He stood up and shrugged on his jacket, having already paid the hidden bill.

"Well, couldn't I order a dessert to go with?" I asked meekly, my gaze never leaving the strawberry cheese cake with raspberry swirls.

'_Err Leah; I think you're drooling…'_

Edward smiled, but it was with far less energy than before.

"Of course Leah.

* * *

><p>We remained silent in the car during our journey back. I'd only asked Edward to drive me back to the library, but he'd insisted, as stubborn as ever, on accompanying me all the way to the treaty line. I stared out through the open window as the scenes of shops and offices turned into those of trees and muddy road tracks.<p>

It wasn't long before we arrived at the treaty line, but I did notice a slight decrease in the speed Edward was driving at.

I was thankful for it; I didn't want the day to end.

He pulled over and for a moment there was a sense of anticipation, before Edward swiftly got out of the car and opened my door. As I got out, I was introduced to a rush of wind and cool air seeped into my skin.

I shivered

Only a mere second later did I find a jacket covering my shoulders. I looked up at Edward, who showed no indication of ever moving, barring the fact that he now only wore a crisply ironed white shirt on his torso.

"Thanks." I murmured.

He nodded,

Another awkward moment passed.

I sighed.

"Well I guess this it then." I murmured, not able to meet his gaze.

"I guess so."

I shrugged, "Well I guess I'll see you around." I knew this wasn't true, but it felt easier to say than goodbye.

Goodbyes were final.

And painful

Edward nodded once more seemingly unable to say anything himself. Perhaps he didn't really care that it was possibly the last time we'd be alone together…

It hurt to think of the possibility that perhaps he'd never really cared in the first place. Maybe he'd just used me as a distraction from the death of his lover…

I gulped, and blinked vigorously as salty teas began to blur my vision. My gaze remained on the ground.

When I was sure I'd cleared every single drop, I looked up.

"Edward…"

"Yes Leah?" he said, his eyes piercing into my own.

"Thank you, for today and well… _everything_."

He smiled a gentle but genuine smile.

"It was my pleasure; I'm glad I could help."

I smiled.

Suddenly without any permission from my brain, by legs moved on their own accord and I suddenly found myself face to face with him.

I looked up at the perfect creature in front of me, my eyes travelling from the alabaster plains of his flawless face to his bright gold eyes. I suddenly had no will power to fight against myself any longer.

I gave in to what my heart had been begging me to do since the day he'd comforted me as I'd cried on his chest.

I slowly brought up my arm and wrapped it around his neck, placing my other hand on his cool hard chest. I shivered as his arm snaked around my waist and he cradled my face with his right hand.

Our faces came closer and closer…

"What the _hell_ is going on here?"

* * *

><p><strong>I am well aware that this chapter was quite short, but it had to be for what's coming up next! By the way as we have half term here in London, I will be updating regularly! Yay! Please review and let me in on what you're thoughts are on the story, reviews speed up updates as I really value your opinions… Thanks for Reading!<strong>


	17. Chapter 17

**Wow, thank you, thank you, thank to everyone who has reviewed! Your reviews and even reading the story inspired me to write another story which I will start posting up… soon, maybe tomorrow if I remember. It's called Cheaters Never Prosper so look out for it… Anyway thanks again and now enjoy…**

**Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer, but if I was… Bella wouldn't be so **_**useless**_**. btw, yes I did just watch New Moon and god knows I want to stab this girl with a blunt knife repeatedly until she has holes all over her chest and I'll stitch her up then stab her all over again! Then I'll take Edward (topless and all) and we'll run away together and... **

***Sighs* I did it again didn't I? I went all crazy and manic on you guys... I'm sorry... **

**Enjoy the reading.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 17<strong>

I leaped out of Edward's grasp and turned towards the intruder, only to find Jacob standing before us. He was livid; his arms shook by his sides and his eyes were unfocused and glaring in a scary manner. His whole body began to shake and his chest rose and descended with the surging power of his deep breaths.

I knew he was about to phase.

"Get away from her." He growled as he stormed up towards us, his eyes were set on Edward, refusing to leave the sight of his upmost enemy.

Edward hissed in response as Jacob's trembling form stood before him.

"This has nothing to do with you mutt." Edward said with a scowl.

Jacob's hand leapt for the collar of Edward's shirt,

"This has everything to do with me; in case you have forgotten, Leah is a member of this pack, she is my sister." Jacob growled.

I rolled my eyes; had they somehow forgotten that I was standing right there?

Edward hissed once more and grabbed Jacob's wrist, pulling his hand away from his collar and then twisted it a full one-hundred and eighty degrees for good measure.

I winced at the sound of cracking bones, "Edward, leave him alone!"

I took hold of Edward's arm and he reluctantly released Jacob's twisted wrist.

Jacob stepped back, but not from fear. He was furious, and I could sense the heat radiating from his naked torso as he got nearer and nearer to phasing.

"Jacob you need to calm down…"

"I'm going to kill him."

"Jacob no…"

A growl erupted from his throat as he tried to push past me, but I knew I couldn't let that happen; I knew Jacob would kill Edward if he had the chance and I knew I'd have to phase if he attacked him. I groaned inwardly at the prospect of phasing now; when all my thoughts would be heard throughout the entire pack.

It was at this moment whilst I was distracted by my thoughts that Jacob pushed past me and leapt onto Edward. I gasped as, whilst airborne, Jacob transformed into a huge russet wolf, with sharp claws and even sharper teeth.

All of a sudden I could no longer move. I watched transfixed as Edward crouched skilfully; his hands becoming claw-like, with both his eyes and razor-sharp, white teeth gleaming in the night. Jacob pounced onto Edward, but before he could strike his paw, he was flung across the landing. Jacob's large body hit a nearby tree with great force, and I could almost hear the tree wince as its bark crumbled off and its sturdy body wavered under the huge vigour.

But Jacob was down for only a single moment, in a swift movement that my eyes could barely register; he was wildly sprinting towards Edward. He was lost in a wave of fury and didn't even discern my pleas; he completely ignored me and headed for the vampire.

I felt myself begin to tremble as a familiar tremor hit my nerve, I could only see red and I began to feel the transformation inside of me. I knew of the risks I was taking by shifting at that moment; everyone would be well informed of the situation through my memories and thoughts, and I wouldn't just have Jacob to deal with; the whole pack would be against me.

Or rather… against Edward.

Just as Jacob was about to crash into him, I leaped in between them, no longer a weak, helpless human; but a strong powerful wolf.

"Jacob enough!" I demanded silently, my eyes piercing through his and I silently watched his glare become a look of confusion, as he was fed all of my thoughts from its very source. He was silently informed of the entire situation from beginning to end.

It started when I first knocked on the front door of the Cullen household seeking help from a heartless leech, only to find a caring person, who'd been hurting after the death of his lover. I showed Jacob how, as the weeks progressed, Edward had helped me with more than just my biology retake, but also with how to open up to people that I'd pushed away after the events of the previous year. When I was with him, I was able to be the person I once was, and longed to be once more, and when he wasn't there, I'd found that I no longer had the strength to push people away anymore.

I wanted to restore what was left of my family.

I wanted to spend more time with my mother, who worked so hard to ensure we had a roof over our heads and food on our plates that I barely got to see her. I wanted to be able to express how much she meant to me and how without her and Seth, I wouldn't have made it at all.

I showed Jacob everything. Even how I'd felt when I'd first spent the day with him and Embry, how relieving it was to know that I wasn't alone, because Jake had gone through the same thing and yet he was still able to smile and reassure me that he'd be there for me. I showed Jacob how much his friendship meant to me, but I also showed him how much Edward's meant to me too.

My memories and thoughts finally came to a halt, and for what felt like hours, but couldn't have been more than seconds, Jacob's head reclined and he remained still and silent. My entire body tensed and all was silent, except for the erratic beating of my heart. I stood on all fours and silently waited for the beta's verdict.

The suspense was torture; Jacob would either run off to tell Sam, which would more than possibly ignite a war between us and the Cullens, or he would choose to set his hatred towards Edward aside and accept what I'd told him.

Time seemed to decelerate as Jacob's eyes slowly met mine. But then all happened at once and suddenly he raced away, into the dark night. I sighed, my head drooping and my eyes irritated with salty water.

I took one final glance at Edward who now stood upright, yet still alert; his face wearing an expression of annoyance and slight confusion. With a silent farewell, I turned back around and sprinted after Jacob, entering the dark night and leaving behind what seemed to be the only speck of light.

Chapter

I was deep in the woods, my paws dashing away and my senses on high alert as I looked for the russet wolf. His scent was still strong, but the path he'd followed seemed confusing and utterly inconspicuous; as though he was lost, although I knew this wasn't the case, as Jacob knew these forests like the back of his hand… _or paw_.

I raced quickly through the woods, slightly speeding up as his scent got so strong, I could taste it on my tongue. I needed to find him quickly, before he told anyone about this and sealed all of our fate. I carried my body at an even quicker speed at the thought of how Sam would react to this news. He would surely not let Edward live after this, as he'd lied about his reasons to cross into our lands. He'd betrayed Sam's trust, and trust was something Sam held close to his heart.

Sam hated being lied to; especially as he'd done Edward a kindness.

I suddenly stopped when I realised that Jacob's scent had led me to a nearby riverbank that no wolf could have crossed. I took in my surroundings, my eyes wide and fully functional, even under the dark blanket of night. The riverbank was peaceful and calm; it reminded me of the waterfall Edward had taken me to, just a week ago.

I looked around the area, in search for a log or any other good hiding places. When I'd first become a shifter, I'd learnt that although turning into a giant grey wolf was exhilarating, it also meant many of my clothes would get torn apart in the process. In addition to this already disturbing fact, I then realised that as a result of losing my clothes, I would be naked once I turned back. It had taken me months to perfect my phasing technique and even then, sometimes my anger would conquer my entire body and I'd phase unintentionally. It was as a result of this that I soon developed the habit of stocking clothing all over the forests in hidden places, so I could prevent the awkward situation of having to turn into a naked human in front of my pack brothers. It was okay for them as they were all guys, but me being the only female meant that I had to heed on these issues myself.

I finally found a large log which sat beneath an old tree; it had been obscured under the tree's opaque shadow, and I knew that I would have thought it to be the best place to hide a set of clothes. I quickly moved the log with my head and sure enough I found a pair of jean shorts and a black tank top.

I quickly shifted back into my human form, and changed into the clothes, silently celebrating when I even found some pumps to wear on my feet. Once I was dressed, I looked around in search for the missing wolf. My sense of smell wasn't as powerful in this form, nor was my eyesight in the dark night.

But it didn't need to be.

I soon spotted him.

He was also in his human form and was sitting on a lone boulder under the large shadow of an over towering tree. I quickly noticed he was also dressed in a pair of jean shorts, but that was all he wore. His back was faced towards me, and I made an effort not to jolt him out of his thoughts as I quietly approached him.

"Jacob?" I murmured, feeling a wave of nervousness overcome me. Jacob remained silent on the rock, and I remained silent as I stood before him.

He now knew everything; every thought that had ever entered my mind and every memory I had shared this past month and a half now also belonged to him. But I couldn't help hoping that this wasn't an entirely bad thing.

"When did you first realise?"

I immediately looked up, somewhat unnerved by the monotone in his voice.

"What do you mean?"

Jacob seemed annoyed, he finally looked away from the flowing river and his eyes reluctantly settled on me.

"When did you first realise you were in love with him?"

My eyes widened, and I could have sworn my heart skipped at least three beats.

"What, Jacob I'm not…"

He rolled his eyes, "Oh this is _rich_."

Jacob got down from the huge boulder and stood before me, his arms crossed and his eyes narrowed judgingly.

"You have no idea how in love with him you are; do you?"

"I'm not in love with him; he's just a friend…"

He snorted, "A friend you were about to kiss?"

I swallowed

"Leah, you've fallen for him. You of all people have fallen for that leech." He chuckled humourlessly; the sound seemed sinister and cruel. I wrapped my arms around myself suddenly feeling cold from the inside. I looked down at the ground as realisation was slowly dawning onto me and I felt as though my heart was crumbling to pieces.

Jacob's gaze transformed from accusing into one filled with worry as he looked down at me and placed his warm hand on my shoulder. I noticed it was the hand that Edward had twisted and broken; it seemed to have healed in a matter of seconds.

"I thought you knew." He murmured his voice was softer and gentler.

"I thought that was what you were trying to tell me. It seemed pretty obvious anyway; I mean what else could you possibly feel for him that makes you think half the things you showed me?"

"Well… I… I didn't think it meant anything." I stammered, unable to meet his gaze.

"Oh, _it does_, it means a _hell_ of a lot." Jacob shook his head and grimaced.

"And to think, Rachel had been going on about you and some mysterious guy for all this time and only now do I realise what she meant." He looked deeply into my eyes and I uncharacteristically shivered under his gaze.

"You really have changed." He murmured.

I narrowed my eyes, suddenly very frustrated.

"And what, you would have preferred if I remained the foul bitch I was before? God, what do you want from me? When I'm upset and lonely I get christened a bitch and a nuisance, when I keep to myself, I'm made an outsider and when I actually feel good about myself after all this time of being miserable you'd rather I go back to being a bitch!"

"Leah I never said that."

"Well you may as well have." I sniped angrily.

Jacob suddenly took hold of both my shoulders, and looked directly at me; I looked for the judgment and disgust in his eyes but only found understanding and truth. I slowly relaxed.

"Leah, all that I want is for you to be happy. Do you have any idea how painful it was for everyone to see you as upset as you were before? I'm sorry we all abandoned you; although we had our reasons it could never justify what we did. It was wrong and I truly am sorry."

A tear rolled down my cheek and I silently cursed myself for randomly crying in an otherwise very awkward moment.

Again

Jacob quickly wiped away the tear with his thumb, and he continued in a softer voice.

"Leah, when I said you were my sister, I truly meant it. And I only want you to be happy, even if it is with that lousy excuse of a creature who clearly isn't worth all the crap that's about to be let loose."

I shook my head disapprovingly but smiled when I noticed his mischievous grin.

Jacob sighed, and ran a hand through his short locks.

"I won't hurt him, but only because you don't want me to. You know if it were up to me, I'd have him burned at the stake." He said decisively. I sighed with relief, but Jacob merely raised a brow and interrupted my upcoming thanks.

"But, Sam will have to be notified."

I gulped, all previous positive feelings evaporated from my body as this truth seeped into me.

"You were lucky tonight as I was the only one on patrol, but the next time I phase and Sam can hear my thoughts, he'll find out about everything Leah. I'll try to explain things to him, but you know I can't guarantee he'll be as understanding of the situation."

I shuddered as thoughts of Sam confronting Edward filled my head. Sam didn't care about me now that he'd imprinted on Emily, and so he wouldn't hesitate to kill Edward if he saw just to, and if Edward were to be killed by him, the Cullens were sure to repute. There would be an all out war between our species and I would be expected to fight with my pack brothers, even when the man I loved had been killed by our leader.

Jacob's voice suddenly snapped me out of my thoughts.

"He'll need to know sooner rather than later, otherwise he'll suspect that you were hiding it from him."

I snorted, "I don't exactly _want_ him to find out."

He sighed, "Leah, that can't be helped. Things will get better; they'll work out in the end… _somehow_."

I raised my brows, "_Yep_, that sounds promising."

"Look, I'll do whatever I can to convince him not to tear the leech limb from limb, I'm sure everything will be fine."

I nodded to myself, praying with everything I had, that Jacob was right; and that everything would be fine. But I also knew that for things to get better,

They had to get worse…

* * *

><p><strong>Well, hoped you liked this cute little scene with Leah and Jake; that was quite a long chapter for all my lovely jovelies! Just a note for all you Jacob lovers (yes I'm talking to you jberri79) Jake is Leah's friend in this. I just wanted to portray a realistic response with the fight because let's face it, Jake isn't exactly <strong>_**best friends**_** with Eddie. But don't fear, he won't be ugly in this story; he'll remain as pretty as ever. **

**BTW: You know here in London we're currently celebrating the Queen's jubilee. What does that mean for you? Well, I'm feeling generous so I'll give you another chapter! Yey! Please review, your enthusiasm encourages me to write like a maniac!**


	18. Chapter 18

Welcome to chapter 18 of The Science of Love, hope you enjoy it and also read my AN at the end!

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, just my confined imagination that awaits to be set free…

Oh, it already has… *sigh* I'm losing it.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 18<strong>

All was hushed in the living room as the heavy tension in the air seeped into Alice's pores. She was silent, still and solemn as I paced to and fro along the length of the room. I felt a strange mixture of emotions surge through me, and suddenly the walls felt too close and the floor felt as though it was ascending and attempting to flatten me against the ceiling.

I had never heard of a claustrophobic vampire, but I began to question whether it was truly non-existent. I knew for a fact that I hadn't experienced any of these sensations since I was human, and that fact was both refreshing and frightening.

I couldn't stop thinking about what had happened only a few hours prior. I'd left the treaty line long after Leah had departed. I'd hoped that she'd return and she'd assure me that Jacob's interruption hadn't changed her opinion of me.

But she hadn't returned.

Finally I'd decided to head home with my head hung, my soul tortured and my immobile heart ripped out of my chest. I felt a sense of sorrow enter me as I realised that what had occurred had been inevitable.

I finally stopped at the far end of the room and slumped against the wall, giving in to defeat. I slowly slid down the smooth surface and fell to the floor, my knees raised and my head buried within their safe walls.

"Edward, please tell me what's wrong." Alice murmured.

I sighed.

"It has something to do with the girl, doesn't it?"

I ran my hands through my hair, as thoughts of Leah entered my mind of how beautiful she was; inside and out, and how all I wanted was to hold her and call her mine.

The thoughts were quickly swept away and they left me emptier than ever.

It was much delayed, but I slowly found myself nodding. I didn't want to hide this anymore; if Jacob had already discovered our secret then surely it wouldn't matter if Alice knew.

"Tell me who she is Edward." Alice whispered, she crouched down before me and placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder.

I sighed

"It's Leah."

Alice frowned and her calm facial expression faltered for the slightest moment.

"Leah? Really?" she said a touch cynically.

I frowned, slightly annoyed and defensive. I loved this girl; I didn't want anyone to think negatively of her, especially not directly to me. I almost cringed at the thought of Rosalie ever discovering my feelings for Leah.

"Yes, Leah Clearwater." I clarified defensively. I looked her squarely in the eye, and her face seemed to soften.

"But she's a wolf." Alice murmured confusedly.

I shrugged, "She's more than a wolf; she's a person." I paused and smiled,

"And I love her."

Alice looked as though she was about to say something, but her mouth then closed as the concept of a vampire loving a werewolf swirled around in her mind. She was trying to absorb this fact, but I could tell it was with difficulty.

When Alice did finally speak, her voice was uncertain and questioning, but I could see in her mind that she'd accepted what I'd told her.

"So she makes you happy?"

"More than happy… I feel serene when I'm with her. I forget about what I am and I can see who I am instead. Alice you know I've never truly accepted myself, even whilst I was with Bella." I paused, "But with Leah… she makes it bearable, because she's going through the same thing."

I shook my head.

"Actually it's worse for her, because there are times when I know she feels alone. I just don't want her to feel that way, Alice I want to be there for her."

Alice remained calm, but I could see a familiar fire burning within her gaze. I gulped; regretting I'd said anything at all.

I knew that look; it was a look I _never_ wanted to see.

"What happened tonight?" she asked steadily, trying to keep that fire still inside of her.

"Alice, if I tell you, you cannot do or say anything to any member of that pack…"

"Oh Edward, I'm not going to do anything…"

"Alice I'm serious. Leah's their sister, and if they think she's in any danger they won't hesitate to kill you…"

Alice rolled her eyes, "Edward please, stop. You said you love her didn't you?"

"Yes, and I do, but Alice…"

"So what's keeping you apart?" she exclaimed, the sound of her voiced echoed through the otherwise quiet room.

I sighed,

"Alice, I never said my love for her was reciprocated."

"What do you mean?"

I swallowed, "Leah could never love me back, she hates my very being…"

"And yet you say she's accepted you?"

"She accepted me because it was convenient for her, not necessarily because she cares for me."

Even as I said the words, the thought stabbed at my heart and my chest felt painful.

"And why was it convenient for her?" Alice asked, once again perplexed.

I sighed and informed her of my arrangement with Leah and how I'd agreed to help her with her studies in biology. I then told her about the events of that day, from Leah passing the test I'd given her, to our dance session and our time at the restaurant.

My voice then became hesitant as I began to tell her of our almost kiss.

I felt embarrassed, but at the same time, saying it aloud made it more real, as though somewhere inside of me I'd feared that I'd just imagined that part of the day. It was refreshing to remember our kiss had actually nearly happened and that I hadn't manifested this vision in my head.

I then informed her of the confrontation with Jacob and how he had threatened Leah in such a way that she perhaps would never want to see me again.

Alice's brows slowly rose when I finished my explanation.

"But wait, if she couldn't possibly have feelings for you, then why did she almost kiss you?" Alice smirked triumphantly as I was left stammering my response.

It had never occurred to me that perhaps our kiss wasn't as one-sided as I'd convinced myself it was.

Did Leah really have feelings for me?

I tried as hard as I could not to dwell on the possibility, but I could already feel my heart soar at the prospect of Leah returning my feelings.

"She obviously has some feelings other than hatred for you if she was willing to kiss you." Alice squealed and I found myself cringing at the sound.

"Don't worry Edward, everything will be fine, I'll make sure of it."

My eyes shot towards her, "Alice no. Whatever you're thinking…"

"Don't worry, everything will be sorted." And with that she disappeared out of the room.

I sighed, more depressed than ever, for I knew that if Alice had the chance to accomplish any of the foul ideas she had in her twisted mind, we would all be in trouble.

* * *

><p>Jacob and I had remained in the sanctuary of the riverbank for only a few minutes more in utter silence before we both simultaneously decided it was time to head home. I was now stretched out on the couch, with a mug of hot chocolate in hand and only the television to keep me company.<p>

When I'd returned home, I'd found the house empty and a note revealed that Seth was hanging out with Jared and Embry whilst my mother had gone to visit Charlie, who'd quickly become a close friend of hers after the death of both her husband and his daughter.

I was glad that my mother had someone to confide in, and that she didn't feel as though she was grieving alone. She saw in Charlie, what I had seen in Edward, and even Jacob; someone who understood to hold me whilst I mourned.

I sighed and gulped down another mouthful of hot chocolate, though I'd had it for a while, and so it was no longer hot, but unfortunately rather Luke-warm. I frowned; hot chocolate usually made almost everything less painful for me, but it hadn't seemed to have worked on this occasion. I suddenly found myself wondering whether the bottle of red wine in the small cabinet would remedy my sullen feelings.

My thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a loud knock on my door. I groaned and slowly rose from the comfortable couch and headed towards the door, my mug still in hand. I opened the door and suddenly came face to face with a wide-eyed and perfectly alert Rachel. My brows furrowed as I mentally asked myself how anyone could be so vigilant at…

I looked over at a clock,

_Half past midnight._

My mouth automatically let out a loud yawn once I'd seen the time.

"Leah, I know who he is!" Rachel gushed.

She walked passed me and entered the house, her steps energetic and eager.

"You know who _who_ is? I asked perplexedly

"I know who your secret lover is!"

I rolled my eyes, honestly exhausted by the mere mention of 'love'.

"Rachel, I told you I don't have a secret lo-,"

"It's Edward Cullen isn't it?"

I froze and my eyes widened until I knew I looked like a maniac. My for second my hand loosened its grip on the cup and I feared I'd drop what used to be my dad's favourite mug.

"How… how did you…"

"Jacob mentioned him this morning when he was on an endless rant about vampires. I heard the name Edward and asked him who he was. Jacob told me he was a hundred year-old vampire who had fallen in love with Bella." Rachel paused and cringed,

"Well actually, he didn't use those specific words, but you get what I mean. He told me about how Edward had mourned for Bella, and said that although he never wanted Bella to suffer, Edward had deserved to feel the pain that he did after he'd left her. It seemed kind of harsh…"

I shrugged, I knew Jacob was convinced that Bella's death was Edward's fault, because he'd left her unprotected against Victoria, who'd gotten enough information about the protective ring around Bella, to see its weaknesses and get her when we least expected it.

Even when Edward had returned, Jacob had refused to have any contact with the Cullens, which meant that it was often Seth and I who informed them of any progress. This had been a new experience for both of us and yet we'd been dragged into the deep end of it all. I remember being scared and frightened of this monster that'd killed my father. I'd found it hard to remain in the same room as the Cullens as I knew they were of the same species as the murderer of my father.

But I preferred vampires, to confronting Sam any day.

I rubbed by forehead, still confused,

"But how did you come to the conclusion that Edward's my tutor?"

Rachel grinned, "Well, when Jacob told me the Cullen siblings went to school in Forks, I couldn't help but wonder if it had been the first school they'd been to, after all they are immortal, and if Edward's over a hundred years old then surely it wasn't the first time he's attended high school. That led me on to believe that he'd be really good at certain subjects… like biology."

I frowned, "That was a long shot."

Rachel sighed, "I know, but it was only when I remembered the letter that I'd showed you the other day that I realised, only someone _really old_-,"

I winced.

"Would have writing like that and would speak so formally. Plus it was signed 'E'."

I shrugged stubbornly, "That doesn't mean anything; Edward has a brother named Emmett."

"_And also_, Paul _conveniently_ informed me that all of the Cullens, barring Edward, had left Forks, It was only Edward who had remained and come on to our land to, _apparently_ speak to Seth." Rachel's grin turned into a full 100 watt beam.

"But obviously he just used that as a cover story, when really he was seeing you!"

'_Wow, you have to admire her detective work…'_

I groaned, ignoring my impressed thoughts,

"Rachel you can't tell anyone." I said, but it barely held any weight, it sounded more like a plea than a demand.

Rachel merely squealed and clapped her hands in delight.

"Leah, I can't believe you're dating a vampire!"

"Rachel, I'm not dating him."

Rachel stopped her delightful happy-dancing and frowned.

"Why not?"

I rolled my eyes and slouched down on the couch once more, I placed my mug on the coffee table, giving up on all hopes of hot chocolate being the remedy for my down feelings.

"Rachel, the pack is going to make a big deal about him being my bloody _tutor_, let alone me _dating_ him. Besides, that would only work if the feelings I had for him were mutual. Which is obviously not the case." I said bitterly.

"What, you don't think he has feelings for you?" Rachel frowned

I sighed and looked downwards, "I know he doesn't, especially after tonight." I winced immediately after the words left my mouth. I hadn't meant to say that, now I knew she would want to know-

"What happened tonight?"

I sighed, mentally slapping my forehead. Reluctantly, I began to feed her the details of tonight's events. Whilst I was at it, I decided to reveal all of the events that I'd shared with Edward from the day I'd stormed over to his house. Rachel's gaze never left mine and she remained silent throughout the entire telling. Once in a while she would roll her eyes at something I did, or gush at something Edward did; especially when I mentioned the time he had appeared in my bedroom and I'd ended up sobbing on his chest. When I was finished, Rachel sighed, though it seemed more dreamy than disapproving.

"Leah… I don't know what to say."

I snorted, trying to hide my embarrassment for I was never one to speak of my emotions; especially when they ran so deeply.

"That's a first." I said, and I was rewarded with a smack from a plump pillow.

"Seriously, Leah, that sounds so beautiful. It's like Rom-"

"No! Don't you dare compare my life to that bloody play! There is nothing romantic about some guy dying because he couldn't check his girlfriend's pulse!"

Rachel rolled her eyes, "That play is one of the most romantic plays ever written!"

I laughed humourlessly, "Yeah, coz' what's more romantic than an accidental death?"

"Romeo died for love, Leah. In the end they both won; they met each other up in heaven where they would love each other forever."

I stared at my best friend.

'_What kind of crap is she trying to feed me?'_

"What a load of bullshit, people who commit suicide don't go to heaven; they've still technically taken a life."

"Well, you seem very religious considering you're in love with a vampire."

I swallowed, hard. She had me there.

Who was I to speak of weird romantic situations? I was a rare female shifter who had fallen for a freaking vampire.

Rachel slowly sat down beside me and laid a hand on my shoulder. Her gaze softened and a small smile graced her lips.

"Lee," she whispered soothingly, "Don't worry, everything will be fine."

I sighed and shook my head, "Sam will freak when he finds out. He could easily stir up trouble just because Edward deceived him."

Rachel raised her brows incredulously, "And how exactly did Edward deceive him? He only wanted to see you!"

"Well yeah, but… you know Sam."

She huffed and folded her arms, "Unfortunately."

Rachel had never been a big fan of Sam… In fact that was putting it mildly: she hated him. She had done since the moment she met him, even whilst we were still dating. Rachel had never even attempted to refrain her true thoughts about the alpha and in return Sam paid her no attention whatsoever. Sam had the tendency to ignore those who he deemed not worthy of his mere presence.

Yep, he was an ass like that.

"So when are you going to tell him?"

"Tomorrow."

Rachel's brows rose once more, but after a moment of being indulged in the works of her calculating mind, she finally nodded and a smile appeared on her lips.

"Well I guess that will give you more time to be with Edward."

"What? You honestly think Sam's going to let me be with him."

Rachel smiled evilly, "Oh, I _know_ he will…"

I gulped and suddenly found it difficult to stay still as I watched my best friend transform into her evil alter-ego; the Rachel that would never take no for an answer, that would push and push until she got her way.

The Rachel that I always feared when we went to the mall.

'_Oh crap, shit is about to go down.'_

* * *

><p><strong>Well, well Rachel <strong>_**finally**_** figured it out, and btw, she doesn't even know who Edward is, she'll meet him later on! Anyway, thank you for reading and just so you know, the next chapter will finally have Sam _blessing_ us with his presence. Yey! (not) but it's all part of the plan guys, so no fear, (Unless you're a fan of Sam, then you probs won't like this…) Please review as always and tell me what you think of Edward's constant brooding, I was reading this myself to put myself in your shoes and I couldn't help but roll my eyes; why hasn't this guy figured out how she feels about him? And then, after asking myself this rhetorical question, I realised that I'm not even half way through the story; there's 140 A4 pages to this guys…Anyway, review and tell me what you think about Edward's brooding self.**


	19. Chapter 19

**Thank you so much for your wonderful reviews; we've reached over 100! Thank you for the huge confidence boost and for all those who read the story! Hope you enjoy this especially long chapter as my treat!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. Obviously.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 19<strong>

The next morning could not have come any sooner. I had spent the entire night wide awake, much against my exhausted body's protests. My back and arms were aching and I was quite effectively reminded that I had not stretched before I had danced with Edward the previous day. I sighed; my muscles felt tense and the fact that I had shifted for the first time in months did not help matters at all. All I wanted to do was continue staring at my bedroom ceiling for at least five more years. I was dreading today, for I knew that not only was my confrontation with Sam not going to be pretty, but also it was going to be the first time I'd spoken to him in my human form in over a year.

I sighed and slowly slipped out of bed, my feet coming in contact with the cool floorboards which immediately reminded me of a certain leech's cool touch…

I heard a groan beside me and turned to find Rachel rubbing her eyes and sluggishly sitting up. Only then did I remember that she had stayed over.

"Morning" I said with a yawn. Rachel murmured incoherently in response and I was instantly reminded of her brother's similar reaction when I'd woken him up just the previous day. They looked so alike, it was almost frightening.

I made my way to the bathroom and as soon as I reached the mirror I jumped.

'_I should have braced myself.'_

I took in the dark bags under my eyes and the black cloud around my head that my hair had become. It was frizzy and resembled to a bomb being aimed at all directions possible. I looked like a mad cat woman who hadn't slept a wink in her entire life; all I needed was a cat to complete the look.

I winced and grabbed my tooth brush. Once I'd finished brushing my teeth I got undressed and went into the shower, letting the lukewarm water flood onto me.

My shower, unfortunately only lasted a mere ten minutes and soon I was forced to step back into reality. I quickly dried myself off and put on some underwear and the outfit that I had chosen for today. It was a plain black t-shirt and some cut-off shorts. I didn't want to bother making a huge effort with my appearance- after all, I was only seeing Sam, he had no importance in my life and therefore I did not want to make any effort for him.

"Leah Clearwater stop right there!"

I froze; my hair brush still in hand and it was now in mid air as I'd held it up to brush my hair.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?"

I frowned and looked at Rachel, who I could've sworn had looked more drained than me a mere fifteen minutes prior. I had just re-entered my bedroom after my relaxing shower and was brushing my hair when Rachel exclaimed those words.

"I'm going to meet Sam." I said, stating the obvious.

Rachel stared at me utterly shocked and disgusted.

"You're going to meet your ex wearing that?"

I looked down at my profile suddenly very self-conscious and more than a little uneasy.

"What's wrong with what I'm wearing?" I asked a tad defensively.

Rachel sighed and shook her head dismally "What's _not_ wrong with what you're wearing. Come on Lee, surely you realise that that question is an insult to my intelligence? I thought I had finally showed you the way to fashion, you've been doing so well with your cute dresses and pumps."

I cringed silently at the memory of my destroyed white pumps, the thought only led me to remember the pale leech who was held responsible for their thorough demise. Looking back, I realised there had only been one reason as to why I had suddenly had any interest in what I wore…

"I mean, I know you probably only wanted to look nice for Edward,"

I almost gasped then,

'_When did this girl develop mind reading abilities?'_

'_Since when did every thought that crosses my mind somehow relate to Edward?'_

'_What is the point of asking myself these questions when I know I don't have the answer?_

'_When will I get out of the habit of mentally talking to myself?'_

That last thought seemed to linger in my mind the most, after all, if by some magical miracle, I did end up with Edward, he'd probably leave me after he realised what a nutter I was. It wouldn't even take him very long since he was a mind reader, he'd be totally freaked out by all of the conversations I had with… well, myself.

"But," Rachel continued, not giving me a chance to argue with her last statement. "That still doesn't mean you can suddenly lower your standards, Leah. Sam is your ex; everyone knows that when you're meeting your ex you need to show him what he's missing."

I raised a brow

'_Everyone knows? Huh, must have missed that memo.'_

"So what do you want me to wear, a crutch-less thong?" I replied sarcastically. I frowned as I watched Rachel's eyes darken. I suddenly feared she had taken my comment seriously.

"Not quite"

….

Three hours later and I was being pulled to Emily's house. It took all of my willpower not to hit Rachel and claw out her eyeballs, although I knew that if it had been anyone else on the other side of this situation I would not have held back whatsoever.

I growled as I stumbled on a rock hidden by mud. I could barely walk in the heels Rachel had forced me to wear, they had to be over six inches and so running away was not an option. She had also coaxed me into wearing a black tank top that tugged onto every cell of my torso. Underneath which, I was wearing a push-up bra which I had purchased during a moment of stupidity whilst I was at the mall.

As soon as I'd returned home that day I had vowed never to use the monstrosity and had hidden it under the confinements of a pile of underwear in my drawer. And yet there I was, in this uncomfortable bra, only covered by a skimpy tight tank top that may as well have been a corset. My legs were merely concealed by a pair of black, equally as tight jeans. For this, I was thankful, as I had berated and argued for a full ten minutes when Rachel had revealed a tiny mini-skirt that looked far too short for even a Barbie doll.

"_Come on Leah, it's so cute!"_

"_Hell no Rachel, that thing is barely a piece of cloth, no way it will cover my ass. I already can't breathe in this tight bra, there's no way I am wearing that thing. I look like a hooker as it is."_

_Rachel snorted, _

"_No you don't."_

"_But I will in that skirt."_

_Rachel sighed and gave in, "Fine, be that way."_

I shook my head at the memory and shivered involuntarily, that morning had been a disaster. At first I had been consumed by the temptation of flaunting myself to Sam and showing him what he'd left behind when he pursued Emily. But soon I lost the will to even bother. Sam no longer mattered to me anymore, he wasn't the one who was there for me when I needed him, nor did he hold me in his arms whilst I wept for the death of my father. Edward had, and he was all that mattered.

By the time we reached the house, I felt like a total idiot in the tight black outfit, but Rachel was ever-determined to make Sam drool over me and regret his decision of leaving me. I had informed Jacob the previous night that I would meet him there by twelve in the afternoon; however because of Rachel's antics we were two hours late.

Most of the preparation time had been consumed by styling my hair which now hung dead straight down my back, I had admittedly enjoyed that part of the torture.

My heart sped up as I finally came face to face with the front door of my cousin's house. I hadn't referred to Emily by that term in a long time as, what was once a sign of our relation and affection, now only served to hurt me and pour salt into my open wounds.

Slowly, without any permission from my brain whatsoever, my arm rose and my knuckle met the wooden surface of the door. The knock started off quiet, but became louder as my confidence increased.

But then the door opened.

Suddenly all of the courage that had surged into my being disappeared and I felt as though I'd shrunk into the size of a measly mouse.

I was suddenly _graced_ with the presence of my ex.

Everything inside of me froze and I became utterly, unnaturally still as I came face to face with the man who had broken my heart.

"Leah?"

Sam stared at the sight that he was seeing. His ex girlfriend who had not spoken a voluntary word to him for over a year had suddenly manifested at his girlfriend's doorstep wearing a very revealing outfit. Maybe he thought I was here for a booty call? Sam's gaze ran from top to bottom of my figure, I vaguely noticed his eyes linger on my cleavage. I frowned and folded my arms over my chest. He averted his gaze.

"Hello Sam." I stated curtly, conjuring a mass of courage and looking straight up at him, meeting his gaze.

"Leah, what are you doing here?"

"Well, _we_," I said, gesturing to both myself and Rachel, who he didn't seem to have noticed.

"…were just planning on talking to you actually." I felt Rachel's suspicious glance stab into my back but I did not falter. If I was going down, I would be taking her with me. _Especially_ after the events of that morning.

"What do you want to talk about?"

I rolled my eyes and leaned against the doorframe, displaying false nonchalance.

"Well, perhaps if you let us in…"

"Oh yes, sure, come in." Sam stuttered as he jumped away from the door and let us pass. I sauntered past him in my killer heels, and headed straight for the living room, where I knew I'd find most of the pack eating what was left of the lunch Emily had made them.

As soon as I reached the doorway to the living room, all noise ceased and all eyes were on me. Everyone seemed to have frozen as burgers and fries were held mid-air, in the clutches of their stricken owners. I sighed,

"Hello to you too." I murmured bitterly.

"Leah?"

I turned to face Embry who'd evidently been meaning to enter the room before I blocked the doorway.

"Hey Embry." I said with a genuine smile. I felt a strand of hair linger on my neck and flicked it away with my hand. Rachel, who stood behind Embry, shot me a pointed look. I frowned confused.

'_Why did she give me that look?'_

I quickly ridded my mind of those thoughts and my focus returned to the current scene.

"What are you doing here Leah? N-not that I don't want you here, but… um…" I raised a brow as Embry trailed off.

'_Is he stuttering?'_

I looked up at him and realised that although he was slightly taller than me and did need to look down to meet my gaze, his eyes were focussed far further downwards than my face. I frowned;

'_Guys truly do have a one-track mind.'_

I cleared my throat and Embry's head shot up to meet my eyes. He grinned sheepishly and I caught a glimpse of his Adam's apple bobbling in his throat as he gulped guiltily.

Just then, Embry was saved from a slap when Jacob appeared from the kitchen. I walked into the living room and the others followed suit. I felt a huge golf ball invade my throat as I repeatedly swallowed, dreading the words that were yet to come. But no matter how hard I swallowed, the golf ball would not be subdued. My heartbeat hastened and my heart began to pound into my chest as the nerves consumed me. I felt sick.

I slowly sat on the couch and leaned my elbows onto my knees. I took in a deep breath, my gaze never leaving the floor until I finally spoke.

"Perhaps we can speak in private." I said, gesturing to the rest of the gang. Soon they were swiftly assured out by Rachel, who spent a whole five minutes devouring Paul's mouth in the process. I rolled my eyes truly sickened by the sight. When they were finally finished, the guys had all left.

Only Jacob, Sam, Rachel, Embry and I remained in the room.

I took in a deep breath.

"Sam, there's something you need to know… as _alpha_." The word tasted sour in my mouth, but I knew I had to butter him up with complements if he was ever going to listen to what I had to say.

Sam crossed his arms in attempt to stand menacingly above me, but it only had the opposite effect on me as I had to try as hard as I could to refrain from laughing at his sorry butt. How could I be intimidated by a man of such little brain? Especially as Jacob was standing between us. I didn't rely on Jacob to fight my battles for me, but I knew he'd stand up for me and he'd be there for me at any time nonetheless, as would Embry, who was standing by the door utterly perplexed.

"As you know, Edward Cullen has been entering our lands lately through your permission." I started, my eyes fixed on the floor.

"But… um, he hasn't exactly come to see Seth." I looked up to see Sam's confused expression, but gradually his confusion transformed into understanding, horror and then anger and I knew that he had already jumped to a million conclusions.

"He's been coming to see you hasn't he?" Sam snarled and his hands formed fists.

"You've been seeing that leech behind my back!"

I stared at him, suddenly somewhat confused myself.

'_Why is Edward coming to see me such a problem anyway?_'

For the first time I realised that I had no idea what I had actually feared. What could Sam do? He had no right to be angry, Edward hadn't done anything, nor had he been a threat to any of our people. He'd simply come to tutor me. Sam did not have a problem with him visiting Seth, and yet he was livid at the mere idea of Edward in my presence.

'_What the fuck?'_

"What do you mean _behind your back_? In case you haven't noticed, Sam, I'm not your puppy anymore, you replaced me with my beloved cousin, remember? You have nothing on me and I can do as I please! Edward did nothing wrong, you have no right to stand there and condemn him!"

"Oh, I see how it is; you're sleeping with him aren't you! You lousy slut; you're sleeping with a parasite!"

In the blink of an eye, I had stood up and now came face to face with the idiot. I had been fully prepared to explain the happenings of the past few weeks, but suddenly all I wanted to do was beat him to a pulp. Why the hell did I have to explain myself to him anyway? If he thought I was sleeping with Edward, and he possessed _almighty knowledge_, then _surely_ it was _true_.

"And so what if I am sleeping with him; what's it to you?"

Sam's face seemed to fall for a moment and his eyes glinted with an emotion that seemed foreign on his face. But it was soon forgotten when his dark orbs flashed with fury and he began to shake violently.

"Uh Leah, what the hell?"

But I barely registered Jacob's words.

"Leah Clearwater, I forbid you from seeing that parasite ever again!"

At that moment I could no longer hold it in. An abrupt rush of humour was released inside of me and I found myself laughing manically as Sam flourished with anger.

"Who the hell are you to tell me what do to, you're not my father!" I exclaimed with a glare.

Sam sneered disgustedly, "And thank God for that, he wouldn't have wanted to be alive to see his daughter become a leech's whore."

Without a moment's hesitation, I leaped for the idiot. My hands aimed for his neck and would only be satisfied once they'd wringed his throat and ridded me of the burden of his life.

I soon found my vice like grip around his hot, thick neck and I squeezed it harshly. I was totally infuriated and could barely even think straight as I leaped onto him, my fists still locked onto his neck, and we both fell onto the floor. Sam's large hands pulled at my wrists and I could hear the protests of our bystanders, but all I wanted to do was see him limp, breathless and dead.

And I wouldn't stop until I had my way.

"Leah, stop!" Suddenly I was pulled away by a strong pair of arms as Embry lifted me and held me in his restricting grip. He swiftly picked me up and rushed out of the room, whilst I struggled in his strong hold.

"What the hell! Put me down so I can fucking murder that fucking son of a bitch!"

Embry finally put me down, and as soon a the heels of my killer shoes came in contact with the ground I raced for the door, only to be stopped once more by Embry.

"Leah look at me, you really need to calm down." Embry firmly placed his hands onto my arms, holding me in place as though I were trying to escape an Asylum.

"To _hell_ with that! You heard what he said about my dad. Fucking twat has no business even speaking about my dad in his fucking filthy, pussy licking mouth!" I hissed.

"Leah you need to stop, killing him is not going to solve anything."

"No, it will solve _everything_. All we need is for that son of a bitch to be buried six feet under the grubby ground; _if_ he has any remains…"

"Leah stop, please."

I stared at Embry and for the first time, I realised who I was actually speaking to. It was strange, but for a moment I thought Embry had been Jacob. It seemed that Jacob would usually be the one dragging me outside to cool me down, Embry would usually stand beside Jared and laugh or cower away, and yet here he was holding my arms and taking in all the bullets that were aimed at him.

'_What a brave guy._'

"Look, why don't we go out for a walk or something? We could grab something to eat?"

After a moment of pure silence, I found myself shaking my head in disbelief at how quickly he was able to change any subject to one that was related to food.

I sighed,

"Fine."

* * *

><p><strong>Woop, woop, I really want to witness Leah beating up Sam in person, but alas *sigh* according to Stephanie, it's not meant to be… So in the mean time, this will do. So what do you think of Leah's first confrontation with Sam? And what about this lingering tingle she has with Embry… I don't want to give anything away but…. Review and tell me your thoughts…<strong>

**P.S, I realise that was an excessive use of ellipsis…**


	20. Chapter 20

**Ok so I just want to clear something out for those of you who may become very confused as this is a completely new part. Basically as I have already written this, all I have to do is copy and paste it into chapters, but because the document for the whole story is so long, I accidentally missed out this huge chunk. This was supposed to come before the next part so here it is! Hope you enjoy this short chapter and forgive my mistake!**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 20<strong>

Five hours later, I was back home, sitting in my bed and watching Vampire Diaries on my laptop. I was fully aware of the fact that it wasn't the wisest choice of shows to watch during my current situation, but it was far too addictive to protest against. Plus, Damon Salvatore was just far too sexy.

I sighed dreamily as I watched an intimate scene between Damon and Elena. Personally I still hoped for the day when Damon would wake up and realise that he and Bonnie, the witch, were meant to be, however for some absurd reason that didn't seem to be on the cards. Still, as I'd previously mentioned; Damon Salvatore was too sexy.

"Ok, so spill the beans."

I looked up to find a newly showered Rachel seated beside me on my tiny bed. She looked freshly cleaned and a strong scent of vanilla mixed with tropical flowers suddenly invaded my nostrils. I also noticed she was wearing the fluffy purple monstrosity that was my dressing gown.

I closed my laptop reluctantly, after turning it off and bidding a silent farewell to my favourite fictional vamp.

"What beans am I spilling now?" I said with a groan as I placed my laptop onto my bedside table.

"What happened with you and Embry after you left."

I huffed, if this was what she was so enthusiastic to hear about, then she would only be disappointed.

"We only went out to eat and then we went for a walk by the beach; that's it."

Rachel raised a brow and looked at me sceptically.

"What did you guys talk about? Anything deep or emotional?"

I rolled my eyes, "What are you insinuating? That we held hands and talked about our feelings?"

No sooner had those words left my lips, did a memory suddenly appear into my head.

* * *

><p>We walked along the shore in utter silence as we listened to the sea's lazy movements and the seagulls searching for scraps. I strolled alongside Embry, in utter pain as my feet swelled in torture from the heels I now held in my hand. Annoyingly, the wind had begun to blow my hair in all directions, and so I'd tied it into a long plait that hung loosely on my shoulder.<p>

The atmosphere around me had encouraged me to calm down, and I still had a warm fuzzy feeling from my full stomach. I hadn't realised how hungry I was until we'd arrived at the diner. However, as I'd eaten, Embry had barely touched his food and although he had just had his lunch, normally that would never have stopped him from devouring the entire plate before him. I had planned to verbally question his lack of appetite, but I'd been distracted by a fresh plate of chicken.

And well, the rest was _history_…

_For the chicken._

"Leah?"

"Hmm?"

Embry suddenly came to a halt, and he turned so he was standing before me.

I raised a brow but said nothing as I took in his puzzled and hurt expression.

"Was what you said true?" he asked, not meeting my gaze.

"What are you referring to? I say many things that people should question."

Embry remained solemn and ignored my attempt at lightening up the mood.

"Are you… you know…"

"What?"

He gulped,

"Sleeping with Cullen?"

It took me more than a moment to register his question.

'_He did not just ask that.'_

I snorted,

"What do _you_ think?"

Embry frowned and he crossed his arms in frustration.

"I don't know, do I?"

I rolled my eyes,

"No Embry, I am not sleeping with Edward…"

Embry sighed with relief, and I narrowed my eyes at his reaction. He was practically _begging_ me to piss him off.

"Because technically…" I continued slyly, placing my hands on my hips.

"Edward can't sleep."

* * *

><p>I quietly laughed at the memory, remembering the view of Embry's shocked face before I'd left him alone at the beach and headed home.<p>

"What are you laughing at; you guys _did_ have a moment didn't you?"

I sighed and looked at my deranged best friend. I doubted the memory that had crossed my mind would be considered as an emotional moment.

Unless of course the emotion was _humour_.

"Rachel, I don't even know what to say to you. Why would you possibly think that Embry and I shared a moment? Do you honestly think that I now have a huge crush on every guy I see?"

Rachel looked down and thoroughly evaluated her nails. I narrowed my eyes at her.

"_You do_, don't you?"

She quickly shook her head,

"Not exactly…"

"Is that why you were giving me _the look_ this morning, when I was talking to Embry?"

Rachel laughed, though it was somewhat forced.

"No, actually I gave you the look because you looked like you were flirting with him. There you were in this black sexy, kinda suggestive outfit-,"

"That _you_ chose."

She merely ignored my interruption, "you were standing before him like some sex queen in your heels-,"

"Which _you_ made me wear."

"_And then,_ you suddenly decided to flick your hair. That totally looked like you were flirting with him. The guy was practically getting horny right before my eyes; I _had_ to intervene."

"But I wasn't flirting! My hair was just itchy on my neck!"

"Well, yeah, I figured as much later on. But still…"

"But still what? If you know that I wasn't flirting with him then why are you asking me if we shared a moment?"

For a moment I was sure she wouldn't respond, but slowly she took in a deep breath and looked up at me sheepishly. I sighed, tired of this theatrical nonsense.

"Embry likes you Leah."

I rolled my eyes,

"I'm going to sleep."

"No, I mean he really likes you... as more than a friend."

"Good night."

"Oh come on, it's obvious, anyone can see it. It all started at the party, when I came back. You were dancing with him and he was well… falling for you."

"I'm turning off the light now."

"Leah shut up and listen. Remember last week when he said Jacob had bailed on him for the hike. Well, Embry never even asked Jacob. He just used it as an excuse to hang out with you."

Just as I was about to reach the lamp on my bedside table, I stopped and turned back towards her, my eyes narrowed to slits.

"And how would you possibly know that?"

Rachel gulped and smiled guiltily.

"I may have told him to do it…"

"_Of course_."

"Come on Lee, you have to admit it was a pretty good idea."

"Are you freakin' kidding me?"

"Look, it was before I found the note from Edward, I didn't know about it then."

"_Oh wow_."

"And to be honest, when I first saw that the letter was signed E, I thought it was him."

I groaned.

"Until of course I realised that his writing could never be that gorgeous, but still, one could hope…"

"You'd better hope that I don' kick you out of my room."

"Kicking me out won't change that fact that Embry likes you."

"He doesn't like me in that way."I answered automatically, although I was beginning to doubt my own words. If Embry did have feelings for me, it sure would explain his distress when I'd joked about sleeping with Edward. Crap, I'd probably given him a hard time with that…

"Yes he does Lee." Rachel said gently.

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair, frustrated.

"Well say if he does like me, and then what? You came rushing in last night telling me you'd figured out I'm in love with Edward and now you're telling me that Embry likes me. What the hell?"

Rachel shrugged, "I kinda think this is dramatic and exciting, you know? Two guys fighting for one gi-,"

"No one is fighting for me! Edward probably doesn't even feel that way about me and neither does Embry. He probably only thinks he does because I've changed; that's all."

"And how do you know that for sure?"

I sighed, rubbing my temples, "I need some rest, I don't want to talk about this anymore. Good night."

Rachel sighed, and got up from the bed, I heard her footsteps as she made her way towards the door and opened it.

"Good night."

And with that the door closed.

* * *

><p><strong>Well, there it is, you see now that I couldn't possible miss this bit out! And for everyone who read ch. 21 before when Leah says: <strong>_**'Rachel had said was true, then things would be very weird between us considering he still believed I was sleeping with Cullen. 'Yeah, very weird…'I was beginning to regret that joke.' **_**That was the joke that she meant! Anyway thanks for reading, please review!**


	21. Chapter 21

**Hello, and welcome to the 20****th**** Instalment of TSL! You know I'm really glad to have all you loyal readers with both positive and negative reviews, but if you are going to leave a negative review then please make it **_**constructive criticism**_**, I really don't need flames coming at me for my hard work.**

**Anyway, without sounding too bitter, please enjoy this chapter…**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 21<strong>

A week had passed since I'd last seen Leah, and I hadn't once spoken to Alice. My insane sister was constantly preoccupied and she refused to speak to anyone about what was running through her insane mind. It was worrying to see her so confident, as it usually meant she had a plan; a plan that I would not approve of. I sighed, giving up on trying to read her mind from upstairs, when I realised that she was purposely listing the significant dates in British history.

I returned my focus back to the gorgeous black grand piano before me which had held all of my attention for the duration of six days. I began to play once more, letting my fingers grace the keys and trying with all my might not to think about what I was playing.

I failed.

I could never stop thinking, especially considering the fact that my mind held everyone else's thoughts as well as my own. I tried to empty my mind of all preoccupations, and simply give in to my creative side; however it was almost impossible when all that filled my mind was worry.

I reached out for yet another sheet printed with notes, and ripped it into quarters. I sighed and ran a hand through my hair.

"You poor thing; what's got you so stressed out?"

I looked up and my gaze met Tanya's, whose eyes seem to gleam with mischief.

I returned my gaze to the ivory keys of my piano.

"Nothing, I'm just working on something."I muttered.

I had intended it to sound like a polite invite for her to leave me alone, but she didn't seem to attain this message from my response. Instead, Tanya took a seat atop of my piano and crossed her legs, allowing her skirt to ride upwards, revealing more of her alabaster skin.

I swallowed, and groaned inwardly. She was doing it again…

"You know, everyone will be leaving soon. Alice and Rose are going shopping of course, and Carlisle is still at the hospital. Esme decided to join him and do some charity work in town. The boys are going hunting in the north. Are you going to join them?"

Reluctantly, I looked up from the keys and met Tanya's gaze.

"I'm staying here for a while." I murmured, desperately trying to find the right words in order to get her to leave.

"Oh, then I guess I will too."

And with that said, Tanya stepped off of my piano and walked towards the door. Her strides were deliberately slow, with her skirt still hitched and the pale skin of her long legs in perfect view. Once she'd reached the door, she slothfully opened it and looked back, giving me a half grin before closing it behind her.

I sighed, but wasted no time in returning my attention on the disaster at hand. I had laboured for days at the piano, trying to find the perfect melody that would fit Leah's personality. I wanted to write her a song that reflected the way I felt about her and what she meant to me. I wanted it to speak without words and explain, somehow, what kind of person Leah was.

I was probably seeking an impossible result, but it didn't discourage me from sitting, day and night at my favourite instrument, slaving over notes, tunes and pitches and trying to find the right one for the song. It wasn't long before everyone made their way to their separate destinations. They gave me brief farewells before they left and went on their way.

Soon after they left, I was quickly reminded that I was not in fact alone in the house, as Tanya's footsteps could be heard from upstairs. She was in the guest bedroom, coincidentally right above the very room I was in. Merely an hour passed, and once again, the door opened.

Only this time, the sight I saw was completely unexpected.

Tanya stood at the doorway, leaning against the doorframe with one hand on her hips and a smirk on her red lips. Her hair was newly curled and her eyes a vivid gold that seemed to pierce straight through me. I swallowed the venom that rose in my throat as I took in the flimsy silken dressing gown that barely reached her naked thigh. The dressing gown was fastened by a silk belt, but it was so loose on her torso, it did nothing to conceal the bright red lace of her bra. I swiftly averted my gaze towards the ground, only to see the bright cherry heels she wore on her feet.

I gulped

_They were so high…_

"Finally, I have you all to myself."

So _very_ high…

And _red_…

I murmured incoherently in response, momentarily losing all track of thought.

Tanya's shoes began to slowly approach me, one step at a time before she finally reached my stool. She bent downwards, causing her miniscule dressing down to rise and reveal a flash of rounded flesh…

"Tanya, don't…"

"Shh, it's Ok," she paused and placed her arm around my shoulder, I shivered as a single bright red nail began to stroke the skin of my neck.

"I know you've been under a lot of stress lately. You're still coping, I understand that."

She placed her other hand on my thigh, and slowly began to stroke it.

I tensed.

"Tanya, I thought I made it clear…"

"You were a different person back then Edward, merely a boy. Now you've grown and surely you realise that there is a lesson to be learned here?"

I remained silent, staring at her lingering hand which travelled higher up my thigh.

"You said we weren't meant to be, and yet here we are. After all of that drama with Bella, surely you realise that we were destined to be together from the beginning."

The hand that had been placed over my shoulder suddenly became lost in my hair. I flinched as her nails began to gently caress my scalp.

"Tanya, I am truly sorry, but I do not have feelings for you. I only see you as a friend…"

"I hear these days friends can have many other benefits." Her hand moved towards the collar of my shirt.

"There is nothing more to our friendship than what already is."

I took hold of her wrist, and gently extracted her hand from the button of my shirt. Simultaneously, I removed her other hand from my thigh and immediately stood up. I quickly headed towards the door, but as I'd predicted, Tanya was suddenly blocking my way.

She stood before me with a smirk on her lips but soon I found myself shoved against the wall on the other side of the room, and trapped by her firm grip. Without a moments notice, I was met with Tanya's fierce gaze and her lips connected to mine. The kiss was rough and purely sexual, it held no deeper emotions or feelings, and I didn't expect it to. However, her cherry red lips seemed to latch onto mine relentlessly and she made it almost impossible to move my arms and push her away.

I finally managed to release my hands from her firm, vice like grip and I took hold of her forearms. Within less than a minute we had switched sides and she was now trapped within my hold.

"_Ooh_, _possessive_ _much_."

"Tanya I don't now how else to explain this to you. I don't feel for you in that way. Bella's death hasn't changed anything where you're concerned, I don't have feelings for you and I never will."

After a moment, she stopped struggling and looked at me. Her smug grin turned into a frown and the glint in her eyes that once held mischief now showed unshed tears. I winced as a sudden wave of pity flooded through me. It had never been my intention to hurt her; I just wanted to clarify any confusion that she may have had over the years. Perhaps she had not understood the first time I'd told her.

Perhaps she hadn't _wanted_ to understand.

"Tanya, I'm sorry…"

"Sorry? No Edward, I'm sorry! Sorry I've wasted my time trying to make you see something that's right in front of you. We could have been perfect together, if only you could see that."

With that Tanya pushed past me and left the room. I heard her quick footsteps climb up the stairs and then shortly afterwards, they descended the stairs once more.

My mind was swiftly invaded by a rush of her upset and angered thoughts, and as each one entered my mind I was left feeling increasingly guilty.

I sighed once I heard the front door finally slam shut behind her, the instant she entered the outdoors, she sprinted into the forest and soon all sight of her was concealed by the green scenery. She was gone.

I ran a hand through my hair; how was I going to explain her sudden departure to the others?

'_Hey guys, Tanya decided to leave after her attempts of pursuing me using direct seduction in red lacy lingerie and a very short, flimsy dressing gown, failed. Something tells me she won't be coming back for Thanksgiving.'_

I shivered at the mere thought of Esme's response.

And then I _cringed_ at the mere thought of _Emmett's_ response.

He would never let me live it down.

I sat walked over to my piano once more and sat onto the stool, slowly letting all of the stress and worries descend along with me. Subconsciously, my fingers began to grace the ivory keys of the piano once more and I slowly began to indulge into a flowing rhythm that flowed from the notes. I closed my eyes, picturing the one girl that would always posses my heart.

The more vivid the image became, the better the melody developed, until after a few minutes, the song quietened down as it ended. I let the last note drift away into the air and remain humming for a few moments before releasing the key.

I sighed

Finally it was perfect.

* * *

><p><strong>Woah, told you guys to keep Tanya in the back of your minds, did I not? Well hope you enjoyed this admittedly short chapter. There was just so much jammed in that I resisted making it any longer. Please review to cheer me up…<strong>

**BTW; it's 2.35am here in London whilst I'm posting this… I really need a bedtime…**


	22. Chapter 22

**Thanks for clicking on my story! Thanks for reviewing (if you did)! Happy readings!**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 22<strong>

"So tell me again what's going on."

I looked away from the wide road before us and turned to meet Rose's somewhat irritated and confused gaze.

"Look, there's something going on with Edward."

Rosalie rolled her eyes,

"That's hardly breaking news, Alice."

I sighed, "No, something _good_ is going on with Edward."

Rosalie's brows rose delicately and she looked genuinely surprised and even relieved. I knew it shouldn't' have come as such a shock as Rosalie did care for our brother, but nonetheless, a show of actual relief was a rare gesture from her.

Unless she was being sarcastic.

"What could that possibly be?"

I grinned eagerly, swivelling the car to the right before answering.

"He's fallen for a girl."

Rose's brows rose further, but her enthusiasm immediately declined.

"Oh gosh not _another_ human." she said bitterly, her sentence punctuated with yet another eye-roll.

I laughed nervously, though my grip on the steering wheel tightened considerably.

"Actually she's not a human…so to speak."

Rose's eyes flashed back into my direction at a speed that even I could barely register.

"He's fallen for one of our kind?"

I paused and gulped, desperately trying to form a sentence in my head. The only consolation I had was that Rosalie would be the hardest of all of them to accept what I had to tell her. The sooner I told her, the better.

"Actually, no, she's not a vampire."

I sighed and finally plucked up the courage to meet her gaze.

"Edward's fallen for Leah Clearwater."

Rosalie's face became scarily still, on her lips she wore a deep frown and her eyes were as wide as saucers. But her facial expression quickly changed from one of shock into utter disgust.

"Leah Clearwater, that mutt?"

"Rose, don't call her that…"

"Why not, it's what she is."

"No, Leah's a shifter, not a mutt, and Edward cares about her; he loves her Rose."

Rose eyes only seemed to widen further, although I was perplexed as to how they could possibly get any wider. She looked so disgusted, it was almost comical, but I knew it would not be wise to laugh during this situation.

"How can he possibly love her? She's a wolf!"

"But she's also a person."

Rose completely disregarded my previous comment, as she became lost in her own thoughts, pondering over the seemingly impossible situation.

"How did this happen? What did she do to him?"

I rolled my eyes, "She didn't do anything to him Rose. It all started when Edward began giving her some study sessions."

Rose looked at me perplexedly but before she could express her obvious question verbally, she was abruptly interrupted.

"What study sessions?"

I turned around towards the door beside me, only to come face to face with a grinning Emmett, who very likely had a sexual innuendo just waiting to be freed from the confinements of his small brain. I stopped the car, and pressed a button to allow my window to descend. Emmett leaned over and rested his elbows on the rim of my window.

"Hmm, what has Eddie been _teaching_ this girl?"

I sighed, "They were studying biology Emmett."

That short explanation merely earned a suggestive raise of his brow and his grin transformed into a gleaming beam.

"Ah yes biology… body parts… I see."

Unfortunately, before I had the chance to retaliate, Rosalie intervened; her voice revealed that she was still shocked, but now slightly more intrigued.

"Why was he teaching her; she doesn't go to our school."

After a moment of consideration, I decided against answering her question immediately. Instead I told Emmett to get into the car and explained to both him and Rose that everything would be clarified by the time that we got to our destination.

"And where exactly is this destination?" Rosalie asked impatiently.

I gulped

"If I told you, you'd want to get out of the car."

Emmett chuckled uneasily,

"Yeah ok, there are some things that I really _don't_ wanna know."

"Exactly." I answered, trying to ignore the stern daggers that Rosalie was shooting at me.

I quickly started up the ignition, hoping to distract them both with the romantic tale of how Edward had fallen for Leah. Even I did not want to dwell on what could happen if something went wrong in my latest scheme.

…

"Hey Lee,"

I looked up at my brother who stood before me with two warm hotdogs in his clutches and a large smile on his face. I smiled back, fully aware that his smiles were contagious.

Like the Spanish influenza.

I looked down at the book in my hands that I'd been reading during the entire day, it was a book solely dedicated to information about- yes you guessed it- the outbreak of the Spanish Influenza in the early twentieth century. Three hundred and eighty-two pages of non-stop, completely _inconspicuous_ and _unplanned_ reading.

'_Oh yeah girl, you are totally over him.'_

"Do you want one?" Seth asked after he noticed that I'd glanced towards his hotdogs.

I chortled at his act of kindness, knowing how much he wanted to demolish both hotdogs in a matter of seconds. I'd watched him reach for them with reflexes only a hungry wolf could have.

A hungry wolf... or a teenage boy.

"No thanks Seth, enjoy your hotdogs." I said.

"Are you sure?"

I nodded in response and surely enough once I looked back up a mere second afterwards, I only found a single hotdog in his hand. I laughed and shook my head; these guys never failed to amaze me. Seth grinned back, still chewing the hotdog.

"Hey Seth, I think I'm gonna head back and grab a cardigan."

Seth eyebrows rose with surprise.

"You're cold?"

"Yeah kinda, it's just the breeze, you know? I'll be cool with a cardigan or a jacket."

"Oh, well do you want me to go with you?" he asked. I smiled.

"It's fine, you stay here, they've probably got another batch of hotdogs coming up. Save me one, I'll be back in a minute."

I got up from the smooth boulder that I'd been seated on and brushed off the dirt from my summer dress, but it was dark purple so the dirt wouldn't be as prominent against the dark colour. I grinned inwardly, very proud of my choice of outfit. I'd even decided to wear a pair purple of Converses; I was determined not to make the same mistakes with my choice of footwear…

_Yes, I was very proud indeed._

I swiftly made my way towards my house, deciding to take the shorter route through the woods. Although it was true that it had been getting colder at the beach, I hadn't wanted to leave simply to get a cardigan; I wanted to get some peace after the stressful five hours that I'd experienced.

The pack had decided to hold a bonfire at the beach to celebrate the anniversary of when Sam became the alpha of the pack. I hadn't wanted to go, every cell in my body had protested against going. But Jacob had all but dragged me out of the comfort of my home, telling me that I owed Sam that much. And after I _creatively_ told Jake that I owed Sam nothing more than my ass, using very _expressive_ language, he then said that the least I could do was keep him company.

I'd snorted then; as if he needed my company when there would be about fifteen other members of the pack present.

So after relentlessly arguing, Jacob and I came to a suitable compromise; if I attended the stupid, pointless bonfire then he and his car would be at my limitless service for a month. It seemed pretty fair considering the fact that not only did I want to avoid Sam, but I also felt awkward about seeing Embry again. After all, if what Rachel had said was true, then things would be very weird between us considering he still believed I was sleeping with Cullen.

'_Yeah, very weird…'_

I was beginning to regret that joke.

Suddenly I was pulled out of my thoughts as a strange, yet familiar sensation washed over me. For the first time since I'd entered the woods, I realised that I was surrounded by utter silence. There wasn't a single sound around me; no animals hustling in the bushes, or birds chirping above me. Just silence. It wasn't a peaceful silence that made me want to sigh in relief, but rather an eerie, untrustworthy silence that had the hairs at the back of my neck standing on end.

I stopped and looked around, the evening was fairly dark, however I could still make out the basic shapes of the trees, bushes…

A tall figure that stood before me…

'_Wait what!'_

I jumped once I came face to face with a tall, brawny figure. I didn't even need to look at his bright gold eyes or faultless porcelain skin to know what this guy truly was. His sweet, deathlike scent gave him away.

I was suddenly caught in his muscular grip, making it impossible for me to phase. I struggled, kicked and hit him but he wouldn't budge.

The guy didn't even _flinch_.

"Let me go, who the fuck do you think you are!"

A _voice_ inside my head, that I had _chosen_ to name Conscience, told me that it probably wasn't very _wise_ to curse at a vampire who could very easily kill me, though I decided to take it as a _suggestion_ rather than life-saving advice. I hit my fists against the guy's very thick, very muscular and very pale arm, harshly threatening that I would scream to the top of my lungs if he didn't let me go, whilst using some more of my _colourful_ language.

However the imbecile decided to test my patience and laughed when I said this. That only served to enrage me, and soon I could only see red and my arms were shaking as my body prepared for its transformation. But it couldn't happen whilst this guy's annoyingly strong arms were squeezing my waist.

After a moment of clawing at his arm, I decided to heed on my promise and just as I was about to scream bloody murder, my mouth was swiftly covered by a piece of cloth.

"Argh!" I tried to shake my head as another pair of hands tied the cloth round my head. I could hear her harmonic laughter as she did so and I could have sworn it sounded familiar.

"Rose, don't do it too tight, we don't want to kill her."

"Speak for yourself."

My eyes widened, not just because of the last comment, which really made me want to aim the tip of my Converse up that bitch's ass, but rather the familiar voice that I'd heard before it.

"Awi?" I said under the cloth, though it sounded like I was speaking in a foreign language.

Suddenly a figure appeared before me and I came face to face with none other than Edward's neurotic sister; Alice Cullen.

"Uh muun uh rooo!" I exclaimed.

"Leah don't worry, we're not going to hurt you-,"

"Once again; speak for yourself."

Alice gave a pointed look at the blond girl who stood beside her, the girl that I recognised to be Rosalie.

I glared at her, and she glared back.

"Now I'm going to ask you to come with us; don't worry you are under no risk of any danger."

Rosalie snorted and I swore under the cloth.

"Yeah, we're just gonna take you up for a ransom and then kill you when we're done, after which we will dispose of your mangled body parts and sell them on eBay as Halloween decorations."

I turned my neck and looked up at the chuckling male who still held me firmly with his strong hold.

Emmett Cullen.

_Of course._

Man, I really missed my ability to speak.

"We'll take off the cloth if you promise not to scream." Alice said carefully.

I sighed, I had three options here; indicate somehow that I promised not to scream and then when they took off the cloth, scream for my life; tell them I wouldn't scream and then happily go along with whatever demented nonsense they were getting me into; or I could simply indicate that I would in fact scream and they wouldn't take off the cloth.

Actually, the last option wasn't realistic, because I really wanted this thing off my mouth.

After a moment of thinking, I decided not to scream after they'd taken off the cloth. I preferred getting kidnapped by a bunch of veggie vamps over running to Sam for help any day. Besides, I doubted I was in actual danger anyway; as long as I stayed well away from Blondie, I was sure I'd be fine.

I immediately took back that thought when I was suddenly lifted up and heaved over Emmett's shoulder.

"What the hell! Emmett fucking Cullen put me down!" I exclaimed pounding my fists into his rock-hard back.

Emmett chuckled, "Whoa, check out the mouth on this one."

"Leah, it'll be faster if Emmett carries you whilst we run, ok?" Alice explained anxiously.

"Um NO, NOT OK!"

"Let's go, quickly." Said Blondie

All of a sudden, I was interrupted by a gush of wind as Emmett started running through the woods. His speed was hard to register in my human form and I could barely see anything as everything became blended into a huge rush of browns and green.

I suddenly felt very sick.

**Please Read!**

**Ok, I'm extremely excited as we are **_**finally**_** getting **_**very**_** close to the moment of truth. What will come of this random kidnapping session? You'll find out in the next chapter, but first I really want you guys to think of the craziest scenarios you can create from this kidnapping that could happen and send them to me via PM or review! The craziest will go as an extra in the next chapter. Please participate and have fun with it! Also, review this chapter please!**

**Thanks for reading!**


	23. Chapter 23

**IMPORTANT! **

**Hey guys, thanks for the reviews again! I would just like to say that if you haven't read the new chapter 20 then please do. Some people got confused as to why chapter 22 was exactly the same as the former chapter 21 but it's because I added a new chapter and it pushed the other two along. It's silly, but I kinda forgot about that little bit… Anyway, on with the chapter, Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight **

* * *

><p>"Jasper let me out!"<p>

I shook the door handle once more, but Jasper merely sighed from the other side. Shortly after Tanya had left, Jasper had returned, however it wasn't long before I realised he hadn't gone hunting at all. Before I could question his actions, he barricaded the door, locking me inside the room. I had attempted to get out, but the force behind the door made it impossible to escape without breaking the door altogether, and as I had recently learned from Emmett's antics, that was not an option. Esme would have my leg if I broke the door… again.

"Sorry, Edward I can't."

"And why not?" I exclaimed.

"Look I'm just following orders…"

"Orders?"

Abruptly the barrier that Jasper had built so well to guard his mind, slipped for a mere miniscule second and it only took that second to identify who the true culprit was.

"Did Alice put you up to this?"

Jasper sighed once more, "Yes, but for once, she had a reasonable motive."

I growled, "And what the hell is that?"

"I can't say."

"Oh for goodness sake!"

I paused, and after a moment, I realised that those words had not come from my own mouth.

I turned around and my eyes found a sight that I most certainly least expected.

There sat at the other end of the room was a russet skinned girl, whose long black hair was fanned around her bare shoulders. I watched as she used her delicate hands as claws in attempt to undo a tight knot on what seemed to be a gag round her neck.

My brows rose with concern.

"Leah?"

Leah looked up, seemingly surprised by her surroundings. Her dark orbs met mine only for a second before she looked downwards almost shyly.

"Er hi? What the hell is going on?"

I frowned and approached her, kneeling down beside her. I took the cloth in my hand and ripped it apart with an abrupt tug.

Leah laughed nervously,

"Yeah, suppose that works too."

"I don't know." I responded staring at the now torn cloth in my hands.

"What?" she asked confused.

I looked up at her, "You asked if I knew what was going on; I just answered your question." I clarified.

"Oh."

A moment passed as remained in silence. Leah's eyes never met mine, but I couldn't seem to tare my gaze away from her. That's when I noticed the bruise on her neck; it was small and not very prominent, but it was present all the same.

I slowly lifted my arm and my hand softly stroked the bruised skin on her throat.

"What happened?" I asked, trying to maintain some calm as the prospect of someone hurting Leah sunk into my pores and filled me with anger.

"Well I was kidnapped by your lovely siblings who put a gag over my mouth when I started screaming on Emmett's back. Then when we reached the house I kind of freaked out and kicked him… _yeah kicked him_. And he decided to dump me in here, and here I am wondering why the hell I'm here…"

She stopped and I was suddenly lost in a deep pool of dark chocolate.

"With you…"

Subconsciously, my hand raised and completely unexpectedly, I found myself stroking her smooth, soft cheek. I waited for her to protest, push my hand away, get up and run away. But she didn't, she simply closed her eyes and a look of contentment graced her features.

I swallowed and let my finger slowly find its way to her warm, smooth throat, sensing the tingle in my skin that I usually got as a result of her warm flesh.

"What happened to your neck?" I asked once more, having still barely registered what she'd told me about my siblings.

"I guess I tugged on the gag too hard." She murmured, her eyes remaining closed.

"Why did you have a gag?" I asked suddenly alert and concerned.

"I told you, I was kidnapped. Your sister literally wrapped that thing around my face and Emmett threw me over his shoulder and took me away. Well actually they took it off for a while, but then I started screaming through the woods; _just as one would if they were being kidnapped by crazy vampires_..."

My hand dropped and I stared at her, not believing what I'd just heard.

"They kidnapped you?"

Leah nodded,

"Yeah, I was walking through the woods when…"

I groaned

"Sounds like the beginning of a bad fairy tale."

Leah raised her eyebrows, and chuckled "I suppose I'm the big bad wolf."

"In what fairy tale have you ever seen a wolf be kidnapped by a coven of psychotic vampires?" I asked with a sigh. "I can't believe they would do something so stupid."

She snorted and rubbed her neck.

"I can."

"I assume you entered through the window?" I said a small smirk forming as I glanced at the window behind her in the otherwise darkened room.

Leah sighed, "Yeah."

"You know, you could have just used the front door…"

I laughed as she shot me deadly glare and hit my arm.

"You're one to talk."

I shrugged, "Hey it was just a suggestion."

Leah grinned and I found myself intoxicated by the sight of her glowing smile, as she sat before the window, the reflection of the moonlight graced her face, making it seem luminous. I swallowed.

"Although I'm sorry you were kidnapped by my siblings…" I paused and looked down,

"I'm still very glad that you're here."

For a moment Leah remained silent, and the atmosphere was accented with only the prominent sound of her pounding heart. I revelled in its beat as it hammered in her chest. There was a sudden rush of blood that raced to her face, and only then did I realise that she was blushing.

"I guess I'm glad that I'm here too… I've missed you."

I looked up at her, startled, and for a moment I was utterly convinced that what I'd heard was due to a hallucination. Surely she didn't actually say that…

"Wait, I said that out loud." She groaned and I could sense the blush that flooded to her face. I smiled.

"I've missed you too Leah."

I silently stood up and headed towards the light switch, suddenly having the urge to see her under the full impact of the lights.

"Wait what are you doing?" I turned around and to face her, realising that she too had stood up and was now approaching me.

"I'm switching on the lights."

"No don't. I probably look really bad, since Emmett dragged me across the forest on his back."

I cringed at the image that manifested in my head. Emmett would be left without an arm once I'd finished with him. Then my brows furrowed and I was left in utter confusion. How could this girl possibly think that she could ever look anything less than gorgeous?

"Leah you could never look bad," I murmured. I took hold of her hands with my own and she reluctantly looked up at me, her eyes gleaming in the moonlight.

"You're beautiful."

Leah looked down, embarrassed, her blush rising to her cheeks once more. She retracted her hands from my hold and wrapped her arms around herself, refusing to look upwards and averting her eyes towards the window behind her. I swallowed hard, but switched on the lights nevertheless. She turned around and just as she was about to protest, I held her warm face in my hands and kissed her.

It was breathtaking, her lips were warm and soft, they were flawless. I closed my eyes, letting my finger roam around the planes of her face, feeling on my sensitive fingertips, the smooth surface of her skin and the sleek hair that flowed down her back. For a moment, I feared she was disgusted and I began to pull away, quickly forming an apology in my bungled mind, but then I felt her warm, exposed arms snake around my neck and her lips moved slowly and in sync with mine as she kissed me back.

Everything about her was so soft and smooth, all thoughts in my head immediately disappeared and I could no longer think coherently as I became consumed into a field of love, want and lust.

After a while, I reluctantly pulled away, realising that I'd been blocking her oxygen supply. Leah's lips still lingered close to mine as she tried to catch her breath, and I could taste it on my own tongue.

I slowly took in her scent and wrapped my arms around her, pulling her into my cool embrace and feeling her warmth through the fabric of my shirt. I sighed, never had I felt so complete.

"Leah, I don't know how to say this… but I…" I cleared my throat, suddenly extremely nervous. I gently pulled away and held her chin with one hand, persuading her to look up at me with her dark brown orbs.

"I'm pretty sure I've… fallen in love with you."

I sighed inwardly; I'd finally said the words. I no longer needed to hide my feelings for her, because whether or not she chose to accept me, she still knew the truth. It hurt to even think about the possibility of my feelings not being reciprocated, but I knew that if she didn't want me around then I would simply leave. Though I probably wouldn't go to Alaska…

"You love me?" She whispered, her voice was hitched and her dark orbs widened considerably. I smiled and kissed her forehead.

"You seem surprised." I murmured, running my hand through her black silky locks.

"Well, yeah, I am. I never thought Rachel would be right about you loving me back."

I froze, though I couldn't stop the swelling in my chest as I absorbed what she'd told me.

"_Back_?"

Leah blushed and looked down.

"Yeah, Rachel's never right."

I grinned, "You feel the same way?"

Leah's eyebrows furrowed,

"About Rachel never being right? Well yeah, she never is. Wait, do you even know her?"

"Leah you're avoiding the question."

She smirked slyly

"What question?"

I rolled my eyes, never in my years of existence had I ever met a girl so stubborn.

All of a sudden my thoughts were once again interrupted as Leah's warm lips reconnected with mine. This time the kiss held more experience, and was more playful than sensual. I felt her smile into it and I couldn't help but smile back.

"Yes Edward, I do feel the same way." She murmured when we'd parted.

No words could describe how I felt then. I simply took her into my arms once more, embracing the hot feel of her skin against the coolness of mine. We seemed to be polar opposites in every way, and yet I could not picture holding anyone in my arms but Leah.

* * *

><p><strong>Please Read!<strong>

**Ok, this chapter was the one that I was most apprehensive about. They finally reveal their emotions! I know it was short, but do you guys like it or was it a colossal disaster? Please be nice! Review! Constructive criticism encouraged, flames ignored.**


	24. Chapter 24

**Quite Important, please don't skip over this A/N!**

**Ok so I read over the last chapter and knew I couldn't leave you guys hanging like that, and also to make up for the chapter 20 mess, I decided to give you guys an extra chapter. Purely Edward and Leah for once as it's been a while. Though keep in mind that this happens on the same day that Tanya left… Just saying…**

**On with the reading! Please review!**

**Disclaimer: you know the deal…**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 24<strong>

I strolled around aimlessly. We were in a vast light room that was empty barring a glossy black grand piano and a wall covered in different coloured slots. It was only when I got nearer to the wall that I realised that the slots were cases. My brows furrowed as I fingered the smooth spines of the cases on the wall.

"They're CD cases."

I dropped my arm and I was sure I looked like a lunatic as my eyeballs bulged out of their sockets.

"CDs? This entire wall is covered in CDs?"

Edward nodded casually, his golden eyes scanning over the wall seemingly searching for a particular CD.

"Most are CDs, there are also many records and tapes."

"_Records_?"

He smiled and took out the CD he'd searched for.

"Yes, the old vinyl ones that resembled to black plates and made your ears ring after ten minutes." He chuckled and walked over to the far side of the wall, leaving me to stupidly gawk at the collection of CDs before me.

"How many discs are there altogether?" I asked still in awe.

Edward shrugged modestly

"A few, I may have lost count."

"That's to be expected, it looks like you have every single one ever sold."

He shook his head, "Hardly, this is only half of the collection. The rest are upstairs."

I raised my eyebrows and walked over to him, watching as he fiddled with the walls. I squinted, not believing my eyes.

'_The wall has buttons?'_

Edward chuckled, clearly enjoying my bewilderment.

"Yes, it does. It's part of the sound system that runs throughout the room. There are good acoustics in here too."

"So is this your music room?" I asked.

He laughed then,

"You mean music _studio_?"

I rolled my eyes,

"Same difference."

He shook his head with a smile, "Yes, I guess this room is a kind of studio."

I turned away from him and glanced over at the piano which stood alone at the centre with its black, glossed beauty. I walked over to it, suddenly drawn towards some imaginary pull that was forcing me towards it. I sat down on the stool and brushed my fingers against the ivory keys, making sure that I didn't ruin the moment by making a hideous noise.

"Do you play?"

I jumped, surprised by his sudden proximity. I knew that one thing I would probably never get used to, was his speed. One second he was at the other side of the room, and the next he was seated beside me on the stool.

"No, I don't."I said somewhat depressed.

I'd always wanted to learn how to play the piano, but I could never be bothered to. It was one of those talents that I wanted to be born with and not have to work for it. I just didn't have the patience to learn all of the necessary rules of music. But still, when I was younger, every time I was sat at a piano or a keyboard, I would always run my fingers along the keys and pretend I was performing the most complex of melodies. I was tempted to do so right then, but considering Edward probably played better than Mozart himself; I knew that would just be beyond embarrassing.

Not to mention the fact that the guy had really sensitive hearing; I'd probably deafen him with my disastrous playing…

_And_ he would probably kick me out for taking the piss with his piano.

"Do you play any other instruments?" he asked.

I snorted ungraciously,

"Yeah, my iPod."

Edward grinned and combed his fingers through my hair, gently brushing it. I cringed at the thought of how disgraceful it probably looked. I wouldn't be surprised if he was secretly picking out leaves from it. I made a mental note to blackmail Emmett into taking me to a hair salon.

"Play me something." I said all of a sudden feeling the need to hear him play.

Edward swallowed, and I found myself staring at his throat as he did so. Was it weird that I found his throat attractive?

"What would you like me to play?" he asked looking down at the creamy keys.

"I don't know, you choose."

Edward took a deep breath and brought his hands to the keys. For a moment, he remained still, closing his eyes as though he were trying to think of a song. After a short pause, he began to play. My heart became still as the gorgeous melody of the song flowed into my ears and rang throughout my entire body. At first it seemed slow and steady, like a flowing river that was truly at peace, yet just as I was about to close my eyes, I found that I couldn't stop staring at the long, skilled fingers that graced the keys with their quickening movements.

A sudden shock of realisation hit me as I remembered the tune Edward had hummed under his breath whilst he'd held me in my room and at the waterfall. It was utterly bewildering, and yet just when I thought I knew what to expect, the melody changed and the song's tempo increased, it gave me a change in emotion also as it rang in my ears. Finally the song slowed down once more and it drifted away, becoming quieter and quieter before a single note was left to end it and the sound vibrated in the air even after Edward had released the key.

I sat there speechless. It felt as though my breath had actually been stolen away. Perhaps it had been; I couldn't remember whether or not I had breathed at all during the song so I decided to take in a few deep breaths for good measure. I looked up at Edward who heavily exhaled and brought his hands to his lap modestly.

It was then that I'd remembered he hadn't breathed out since the beginning of the song. I was thankful that he didn't need to breathe or else he probably would have suffocated…

"That was beautiful." I whispered, leaning onto his shoulder and willing him to look at me.

He seemed embarrassed and his humility was far too prominent. I had never seen someone so humble; especially after he'd just played that piano so well. I knew for a fact that I would be prancing around wearing a dress made of sheet music and a tattoo on my forehead reading: 'World's Greatest Pianist' if I had such a talent.

Edward chuckled and I raised a brow.

"Leah, that would be quite a sight."

I snorted, deciding to berate him about reading my mind another time. It never ceased to amaze me how he would only read my mind at the most random times; when my barrier was at its weakest. He'd probably think I was as insane as his siblings by the end of the week.

"What is that song called?" I asked whilst hugging his arm, mentally promising myself to add it to my iPod as soon as I got home…

_If_ I got home.

"I don't know I haven't named it yet."

My brows rose until I was sure they'd reached my hairline.

"You wrote it?"

Edward nodded, his gaze remaining on the keys of the piano. I sat up and held his face in my hands, forcing him to look up from the keys and meet my eyes.

He gulped nervously,

"I've never been good at expressing my sentiments through words. I thought that perhaps the song would do all of the explaining for me." He stroked my hair and tucked it behind my ear, giving me a sheepish smile.

I sighed,

"Well your message has been received. I love you Cullen."

He smiled crookedly, "And I love you Clearwater."

We sat at the piano for a while longer, and I watched as he played other songs skilfully and expertly. My brows all but fell off when he played Undisclosed Desires by Muse on the piano. I thought my ears had deceived me at first, but he'd confirmed my suspicions with a crooked smile, and afterwards when the song was complete he asked me if I liked the band. I'd simply gawked at him, unable to form words with my mouth after yet another amazing performance.

"I have their albums upstairs if you want them."

I did a double take.

"All of them?"

He nodded and got up.

And then he opened the door.

My mouth dropped.

"Wait a minute,"

Edward froze and averted his eyes around the room.

'_Busted!'_

"The door was unlocked all this time?"

He gulped and I narrowed my eyes, approaching him with my arms folded.

"Jasper left a while ago…"

"And you failed to tell me this _because_?"

"I wanted to spend more time with the girl I love?"

I huffed, but gave in to his guilty grin. It was his siblings I was pissed off with, not him.

I looked over at my watch

_8.47_

I sighed, "I should probably get going now."

Edward frowned and wrapped an arm around my waist.

"You're not angry with me are you?"

I shook my head,

"No, I just really need to go. No one knows where I am and Seth's probably freaking out, I told him I'd be back ages ago. If he tells Sam I've gone missing…"

I swallowed at the thought and Edward hand brushed against my cheek.

"I'll bring you home."

I looked up at him incredulously; had he not heard a word I'd said?

"Edward I'm trying to avoid a confrontation, and you taking me home will only cause one. I don't feel like igniting a war two days before my birthday, thanks."

"You're birthday is in two days?" he asked. I sighed; of course he'd only heard that part of my sentence.

"Yes, now I have to go." Edward frowned, holding onto my face as though it was a precious jewel he never wanted to release.

"At least let me take you half way."

"I don't think that's such a great idea; remember what happened the last time you took me to the treaty line?"

He grimaced at the reminder.

"Well, I guess I'll see you… when I see you." I said, not wanting to think about the hell that would break loose once I returned home. I lifted my hand and rubbed my neck nervously, but Edward took my palm in his cold hand and squeezed it gently. He leaned in and kissed my forehead lightly.

"Goodbye Leah."

I nodded and he opened the door and then I left.

* * *

><p>I strolled along the pavement beside the abandoned road. I'd decided to take the longer route back, firstly to avoid any unwelcome surprises… again, and also to buy myself more time for the confrontation that would surely take place when I arrived home. My strides were deliberately slow as I unhurriedly headed back home. I pushed my hands into the pockets of my summer dress, and then cursed under my breath when I found my phone.<p>

'_You've got to be kidding me.'_

I sighed and turned it on, thankful that I had a means of communication, but my hopes were soon dashed as the phone refused to turn on.

I groaned

'_My life.'_

I plunged the phone back into my pocket, although I was tempted to toss it across the road. I continued the long walk back to my house, dreading my return, more and more with every step.

* * *

><p>It wasn't long after Leah's departure that they returned, all four of them in a line with smug grins on their faces, barring Rosalie who looked indifferent. They entered the living room, where I'd been seated for a mere moment before their arrival. I crossed my arms, and glared at them. I looked at Alice.<p>

"Kidnapping, really?"

Alice smiled guiltily, "I thought it was the only way to get her here."

I raised a brow, "So an invitation never crossed your mind?"

She rolled her eyes,

"Come on, it's Leah, not Seth, she would have never come here willingly."

"So of course you saw it fit to kidnap her and drag her through the forest. That's totally reasonable, I'm sure their pack leader will love to here that." I said sarcastically.

"Well it all worked out in the end didn't it?"

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair in frustration. Had it worked out? I knew how Leah felt about me now, but was it enough to overcome this lingering conflict between my family and the pack? I hoped it would be, but I couldn't help but feel useless as I thought of the consequence Leah had to face because of my siblings' actions. I'd wanted to go with her and face my half of the responsibility that I deserved. But she'd told me of how their leader had reacted once he'd learned about our tutoring sessions, and she didn't think it wise to confront him then.

"Alice, their pack leader will be furious once he realises she was here."

"Well he'll have to deal. No harm came to her Edward, they have nothing on us."

"You entered their lands without permission. They have that on you."

Alice groaned.

"They could probably track down your scent, it's a wonder they haven't attacked us yet."

"Well if they know that you've been spending time with her, they'll probably suspect that she went willingly."

I raised a brow at Rosalie's input.

"Yeah, that it is if they didn't hear her cursing and screaming through the woods." Emmett said with a smirk.

I frowned, remembering something.

"Why the hell did you drag her through the forest anyway? Couldn't you have held her carefully?"

Emmett's eyes widened with fear under my furious gaze, he slowly stepped back.

"I tried to, I swear, but that girl is feisty."

I couldn't help but grin as Emmett's memory of the ordeal unfolded into my mind. I saw through Emmett's eyes as Leah kicked and squirmed in his grasp, her soft inviting lips tainted with a surge of obscenities.

'_That's my girl.'_

"Look Edward everything will be fine, we can sort things out with the wolves soon."

I looked pointedly at Alice, "Yes, after we speak to _Carlisle_ and see what he makes of your _ingenious_ plan."

Alice gulped and I grinned evilly.

"Hey Ed," I turned towards Emmett, cringing at my nickname.

"Where's Tanya at?"

It was my turn to gulp.

"Err, well…"

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks for reading! Next chapter will be quite big! Please share your thoughts on this chapter. I wanted to give you guys a little Edward and Leah time; what'd you think? Perhaps they should have made out more… maybe on the piano…seems a bit too friendly doesn't it? Hmm, suggestions please?<strong>


	25. Chapter 25

**Ok, so it's been a while and although I wanted to post this up tomorrow, I read all of you wonderful reviews and I just can't keep you guys waiting. So here it is! Hope you enjoy this chapter!**

**Happy readings!**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 25<strong>

I arrived home much sooner than I'd wanted to and my watch confirmed it was only twenty minutes passed nine. I disputed with myself over entering or remaining outside for at least a month, but after I realised that they would eventually find me, I sighed and headed towards the house. I noticed the door was wide open and winced inwardly; I'd been deprived of those two seconds I needed to prepare myself.

"Leah?" I turned around to see Seth sprint towards me. As soon as he reached me, was engulfed in a warm hug. I still found it hard to believe how quickly Seth, my former midget brother, had grown.

"Lee-Lee, where have you been?" Seth paused and sniffed. He'd answered his own question.

"You were with the Cullens?" he asked, his eyes wide, shining with surprise and a glint of smugness.

"You went to see Edward didn't you?"

I frowned, "Not exactly, I'll explain things later. Where are the others?"

"They're inside, everyone's been freaking out Leah, Emily even called mom and told her that you were missing."

"What; why? I'm not missing, I'm here! Why are they making a big deal out of nothing, I could have just gone into town or something."

Seth looked down guiltily, "Well, I may have told them that you said you were going home…"

I groaned.

"But I would have covered for you if you'd told me you were going to the Cullens' place."

"Well I didn't exactly _make_ _plans_ to go visit them Seth. It was quite… _unexpected_."

Before Seth could respond, he was interrupted by a gasp at the front door; I turned around only to find a surprised Emily at the door. It was weird considering she was inside my house and yet I was standing outside as though I was the unwanted guest.

"Leah you're back! Oh thank goodness." She gushed, running up to me and holding her arms out for a hug. I sneered and walked passed her.

"Yes I'm back, not that I went very far." I said bored, walking into my house. Emily rushed outside, probably to find the others, but when I entered, I was immediately greeted by Sam and his kind words.

"What the fuck are you playing at Clearwater?"

I rolled my eyes

'_Hello to you too.'_

"Hey Sam, how's it going?" I said casually, side stepping past him.

I gasped as he seized my forearm and turned me around, forcing me to face him and stare at his livid face. Once I was facing him, he grabbed both of my arms and tightened his grip, as though he was trying to hold me down. My eyes widened and for a moment I remained utterly still with shock.

"You went to see him didn't you? And don't you dare try to deny it; I can smell his fucking stench all over you!"

I quickly snapped out of my shock then, growling with anger. I ripped my arms away from his hands.

"Don't you dare touch me! You have no right to question where I've been, you don't own me!"

Sam snarled, "I am your alpha, I banned you from seeing that parasite ever again!"

"And I specifically remember laughing in your face! You have no right to tell me who I can or can't see; I can do as I please. As I have already stated, you don't fucking own me!"

In the moment that it took me to blink, Sam's large hand grabbed onto my shoulder and griped onto it until I was pretty sure he was crushing my bones.

"Listen you slut, you will do as I tell you whether you like it or not. You're not to see that leech ever again, or I will make every day you live, a nightmare you'll never wake up from."

I growled, struggling out of his grasp.

"Fuck you."

Sam's arm lifted and his hand slapped my face. My neck clicked as it twisted against the force of his slap and there was a jolt of pain that surged through me.

But it didn't last long.

I was enraged, and I barely registered my own movements as I shoved Sam away from me. He hadn't expected the force of my push and so he stumbled on his feet. Unfortunately he didn't fall to the ground, but that only meant that I had the enjoyable task of making him fall. I wasted no time, and my clenched fist struck his face repeatedly at a speed that even I was surprised at. I punched his face, his chest and his throat, revelling in his grunts and cries. He tried to take hold of my arms once more, which only served to piss me off; so much so that I kicked him hard where _the sun would never shine_. I was _definitely_ proud of my choice of footwear then, the Converses made all the difference.

Sam howled and fell to the floor, clutching his crotch, and it was only then that everyone came swarming in from the backyard, they were all worried and demanded to know what was going on. When they realised I was in the middle of murdering the Almighty Asshole, they quickly separated me from him. It was a while before everything cooled down, and it was only when my mother arrived home that everyone finally settled and my emotions slowly calmed down.

* * *

><p>Later, I sat down on a nearby chair, holding a mug of hot chocolate and a cookie in my other hand.<p>

'_Hmm, hot chocolate.'_

"Ok, what the hell happened?" Jacob turned to me accusingly, standing in the middle of me and Sam, who was slumped on the floor and leaning his back against the wall. He clutched an ice-pack in his hand which he placed on his crotch, and was mumbling to Emily, moaning like a big baby whilst his imprint stroked his hair affectionately. I sighed; what had I ever seen in that guy?

"As soon as I came in I was attacked by this idiot, who doesn't even have the right to be in _my house_." I said, glaring at Sam. I grinned inwardly at his worried face, and then sat back and sipped my hot coco.

"I didn't attack her; I only asked her where she'd been." Sam hissed, outraged.

I growled, "So if you didn't attack me, then why do I have these bruises?"

I pointed towards the harsh, red mark on my cheek where Sam had slapped me and the deep handprints on my arms where he'd held me down. Although the pain had subsided and was now barely noticeable, the bruises were still apparent and would probably take longer to heal.

Jacob frowned, walking towards me and took my arm, gently turning it to see the full extend of the bruises. I knew there were worst ones on my shoulder, and it wasn't long before he noticed them thanks to my dress' spaghetti straps. He stroked them gently, his frown deepening. I looked over at my mother who looked worried as she stared at the bruises on my arms.

She frowned also, but she looked angry rather than shocked.

"Sam I think it's time that you left." She stated calmly, slowly getting up from her seat beside me and heading towards the front door. She opened it and waited expectantly.

Sam looked gobsmacked, as did Emily. I just about held in a laugh.

"But, look at what she's caused! She disobeyed orders, she had no right to-,"

"Leave my house now Samuel Uley!" my mother demanded.

Slowly, Sam got up, a shocked expression still on his face as he walked through the short corridor and approached the front door where my mother stood with a frown on her face. He looked back, searching for his imprint, who had not moved from her place in the living room.

Sam frowned, "Let's go Em."

Emily turned to face him, but her eyes travelled from me to her boyfriend. She fiddled with her fingers, unsure of what to do. She seemed torn between staying with her cousin and leaving with the man she loved. I rolled my eyes; why was she acting like I _wanted_ her there? Even if she wanted to stay, it wasn't her decision to make, because, as I'd already pointed out; it was _my_ house.

I met her gaze with a glare, purposely focusing my eyes on the scars on her face. He'd been so cruel to her, was she really going to go after him now? I sighed as I watched her turn away from me and walk towards her beloved ass. Once she'd reached the door she paused and looked back,

"I'm sorry Leah." She whispered before taking Sam's abusive hand and letting him lead her into the dark night.

My mother firmly closed the door behind them and headed straight into the kitchen. She soon reappeared with two ice packs which I placed on my shoulder and my face. I shivered at the sudden cold contact on my warm skin, causing Jacob, who still kneeled beside me, to raise a brow.

"You should be used to it by now." He mumbled. I narrowed my eyes at him, not appreciating his snide comment, but my upcoming argument was interrupted by a knock on the door.

My heart skipped a beat when I heard it, but it only took a deep breath to know that it wasn't who'd I'd suspected it to be. Minutes later, Paul and Rachel came into the house hand in hand. As soon as Rachel laid eyes on the ice packs in my hands, she broke away from Paul and rushed over to me.

"Leah, are you OK?" she asked kneeling before me next to her brother.

"Did the bloodsuckers do this?" Paul asked. I glared at him, but then realised that it hadn't been a spiteful comment, he looked genuinely worried, even a little pissed off.

'_Well well well, looks like today is full of surprises.'_

Jacob answered before I did, "No, Sam did. He got pissed off when he realised…" Jacob trailed off, his eyes met mine and I could sense his discomfort.

Paul raised his eyebrows, surprised that his alpha could ever do this. Even Paul, one of the ultimate assholes in the entire pack did not approve of this. This surprised me, although I guessed Rachel had softened him up during her stay.

"He must have really hurt you if it hasn't healed." He said with a frown.

I shrugged, "I gladly returned the favour for him." I said smugly, rubbing the ice deeper into my arm.

Paul smirked, and Jacob chuckled, "I bet you did." They said simultaneously.

My mother tutted disapprovingly, but she could not refrain the grin that tugged on her lips. She'd rather her daughter fought back than stand there helplessly whilst being attacked.

"Right I think we should allow Leah to have some rest now." She declared, reaching out to stroke my hair.

It was strange to have her fuss over me; usually she wouldn't make such a commotion when I got hurt as she knew I was strong and would heal right before her eyes. However, the bruises on my arm seemed to act as a wake up call for her and she suddenly realised that although I was strong, I wasn't indestructible.

I swallowed, looking down at my own arms; I'd realised this also.

Gradually, the guys began to make their way out of my home until it was only Jacob, Paul, Embry and Seth that remained. Paul soon left also after Rachel announced that she'd be staying over, and despite his complaints, he left willingly and didn't have to be dragged out of the house.

I walked into the kitchen, in search of an ice pack to replace the melted one I held in my hand.

"So, did you have a good time with Cullen?"

I turned around to find Embry leaning against the doorway, his arms crossed and his eyes accusing.

I sighed, "Don't you start."

"Leah, do you have any idea what we've been through? You just disappeared, one minute you were at the beach and the next Seth was asking us if we'd seen you. We searched for you and we found their scent on our land…"

"And what do you think happened?" I interrupted, a little pissed off by his attitude. He was acting like Sam's shadow, it was unlike him; something that I would expect from Paul rather than Embry.

Embry's mouth opened, but then closed once more for lack of a response.

"Face it; you only worried because you thought I'd been seeing Edward, otherwise you would have smartly assumed I had gone out to a store or whatever. You wouldn't have jumped to immediate conclusions."

"Well we were right; weren't we? You did go see him; his scent is all over you."

"Yes Embry," I said exasperatedly, holding the new ice pack on my other arm.

"I did go see him. And I came back perfectly unscathed and joyful, until I reached here and got attacked by our so-called leader. What is it with this need to control everything I do? You think you know best and yet I seemed safer with them over there than here."

Embry frowned

"Well if that's how you feel, then I guess there's nothing more to say." And with that he left.

* * *

><p><strong>Woah, a whole bunch of feelings have been released there! Please don't hate Embry in this, I love him and it pained me to write the last part, but frankly I have to be realistic! Well as much as I can be with Twilight, lol. Please tell me what you think , share more of your wonderful reviews! Thanks for reading!<strong>


	26. Chapter 26

**Hey there guys! Again, a huge thank you to all of you awesome people who reviewed. I recently made a wonderful discovery, and if you care... read on!**

**Ok so when I was younger I used to be addicted to these biscuits (lol, you should know I'm British by now) and they were the best thing in my life! Now, years passed and my mother never bought those biscuits again, something about high in sat. fat. Who cares? Anyway, today I found out hat they sell them right near my house in this corner shop! Yey! So of course I immediately grabbed a packet and I'm sharing some vvirtual biscuits with you all!**

**Happy reading!**

**Disclaimer; I don't own Twilight, but I do finally own a packet of these unique shortbread cookies! Yum!**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 26<strong>

_Ring Ring Ring_

I groaned.

_Ring Ring_

I groaned again and pulled the pillow over my head, wondering why the hell my alarm was ringing on a Saturday morning.

_Ring Ring_

'_Wait that's not my alarm'_ I thought groggily.

I slowly and reluctantly got up and reached for my phone which I'd left to charge overnight. I answered the phone, running a hand through my completely dishevelled hair and groaning inwardly when my fingers were caught in knots.

"Happy birthday love."

I sat up quickly, suddenly very awake as I absorbed the harmonic voice that I'd just heard. It sounded like bells ringing in my ear and I felt my heart accelerate at the resonance. It took me a while to register what the voice had said, but I suddenly realised that today, was in fact my birthday. I furrowed my eyebrows finding hard to believe that a whole day had gone passed and I hadn't even noticed. The previous day seemed to have not even existed, and the events of the day before that were left as a distant memory. But I could still remember the feel of Edward's lips on mine when we first kissed.

I could never forget that.

"Thank you." I murmured tiredly. I raised my eyebrows once I'd glanced over at the time.

6.47 am.

An unholy hour.

"How has your day been so far?" I narrowed my eyes as I could hear the smugness in his tone. The guy had called me at this time on purpose.

"Edward, my day hasn't even started yet." I replied.

"Really? Because my day started almost seven hours ago at midnight. Tell me Leah, how do your days work?"

I rolled my eyes although he couldn't see. "My day starts when I have woken up."

"Ah, so your day _has_ already started."

"_Oh wow_, I've only been nineteen for _two_ _hours_ and you've _already_ started annoying me."

Edward chuckled, "You were born at four am? That's ironic considering you're clearly not a morning person."

I groaned, "If you know I'm not a morning person then why are you calling me at this time?"

Edward's voice softened, although I questioned whether that was possible.

"I wanted to be the first to wish you a happy birthday."

My mood lightened then and my heart swelled at the sincerity and emotion in his voice. I wanted more than anything for him to be there with me at that moment, and say it to me whilst his gold eyes stared into mine.

"Thank you." I whispered.

There was a short silence that passed, which had me wondering what he was doing, he was after all, utterly immune to any tiredness or desires to slumber. My thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the sound of movement through the phone and Edward's smooth voice grew audibly irritated as the shuffling noises increased.

"No… stop… seriously Emmett…. warning… you! Give… me …phone!"

"I'll only… be a minute….please!"

"No… Emmett… if you don't…. give me… phone I will tell… Rosalie about…. Secret… Christmas… Santa!"

I smirked, curiosity filling my mind as I heard the crackling noises, which seemed to indicate the movement of the phone itself. After numerous uttered curses and a worryingly loud smashing sound there was suddenly a hushed silence and the racket had finally ceased, as expected a voice returned to the receiver, however the voice I now heard on the other end was deeper, cheerful and... _not_ _Edward's_.

"Hey she-wolf!"

"Er, hi Emmett?" I raised a brow, although it wouldn't be visible to him. I wasn't well acquainted with Edward's siblings, but out of all of them, I was most familiar with Emmett. After all, it had been he who'd hauled me over his shoulder whilst a screamed bloody murder throughout the forest.

Yeah, we had a special connection.

"Hey, I've been meaning to apologize about the whole… you know… kidnapping you thing. I mean, honestly I thought it was funny, but apparently Eddie here tells me that it was somewhat of a… _how do you say_… 'bad idea'.

I smiled as I pictured him insert some inverted commas within the sentence. Emmett, it turned out, had a big sense of humour. Nice.

Except what he did was so _not_ funny.

"It's cool; I guess you had good intentions. Well, barring your wife who just wants me dead. Say hi to Blondie by the way. Tell her no one can gag someone as well as she can."

There was a deep chuckle at the other end of the line. "Don't I know it. Down here we like to keep things…creative though some would call it…kinky."

I scrunched up my nose at the innuendo, "Ok, well _thanks_ for that mental image."

Emmett laughed, "My birthday gift to you, wolf-girl."

"Mhm… yes… Ok… well, um, _goodbye_." I quietly sighed with relief as before Emmett could even respond there was another round of shuffling noises and soon Edward had returned.

"Leah, I'm so sorry I've exposed you to Emmett's vulgar nature. And on your birthday too!"

I chuckled as I heard some protest from Emmett's in the background.

"It's alright; I've experienced worse… though not by much."

We spoke for a while longer before our conversation ended and I was left feeling quite empty. It was still early in the morning then, and I was still quite fatigued after having done absolutely nothing the previous day. I decided to sleep for a few more hours, slowly lying back onto my bed and closing my eyes, Edward's voice still ringing in my ear.

I was woken up three hours later by an attack from my brother.

"Lee-Lee, happy birthday!" Seth exclaimed, as happy as ever.

I found it impossible not to admire his energy, although it was not as contagious first thing on a Saturday morning. Especially considering the fact that it was still very early in the morning, and as Edward had pointed out; I was not a morning person.

"Thanks Seth, but why didn't you wait until I woke up?" I asked, rubbing my eyes as I was attacked by the sudden brightness of the room.

"I wanted to be the first to wish you a happy birthday." He said with a grin. I smiled at the familiar words.

"Sorry Seth, Edward beat you to it. He called at six a.m." I said regrettably.

However, Seth did not appear to mind whatsoever, in fact his smile only increased in kilowatts and was practically blinding me from its gleam; I was tempted to shield my eyes from it.

"Edward called?" he asked. I nodded. And Seth's eyes widened with realisation.

"I thought I heard you talking this morning, but I thought it was just a dream because you'd never wake up so early on a Saturday." He said. I laughed.

"Got that right."

* * *

><p>The rest of the day passed very quickly, but it was hardly uneventful. Firstly, my phone was bombarded with calls from practically everyone that I'd ever spoken to; even people that I'd only spoken to in class. For example, there was some guy named Tom who I'd sat next to in chemistry and I'd lent my chemistry text book to. He'd lost it the next day and I'd been really pissed off about it because it meant I'd had to buy a new one for twenty dollars. But on that day, there was a knock at the door and I almost jumped when I saw none other than Tom himself with my text book in his hands.<p>

"Happy birthday Leah, sorry I lost it before." He'd said with a sheepish smile.

I'd taken it in my hands; hardly believing that he'd actually bothered to come all the way to my house to return it. I smiled at the bow on top of it, but when I unravelled it, it revealed an envelope. Within the envelope was a gift card to my favourite shoe store.

I raised my eyebrows in surprise at the gift this random guy had given me. I'd immediately regretted cursing him under my breath for all those chemistry lessons.

"Thank you Tom." I'd said giving him a one-armed hug. He'd smiled awkwardly…

_and then_ asked if he could use my text book for his revision classes.

I'd frowned and closed the door in his face. But later on I'd felt bad, and so I called him and told him he could pick it up the next day.

After that ordeal, I'd had yet another pleasant surprise that turned out to be one of the highlights of my day. Ever since my father had died, celebrations for birthdays and holidays had not been the same. Last year my birthday was merely two months after my father's death and therefore I did not have the eighteenth birthday party that I'd hoped for. I had planned a lot of things for my party, and one of them was having my _first time_ with Sam.

I snorted at the idea, at least one good thing came out of that disaster; I'd learned a very valuable lesson about Sam Uley.

That he was a prick.

A dickhead.

A total mother fucker who…

Sorry, got a little carried away there.

_Anyway_, as a result of last year's occurrences, I had not expected my current birthday to be any different. However I was soon proven wrong when my mother returned home from work at one in the afternoon demanding that I yank on some suitable clothes because she was taking me shopping. I'd been surprised, my mother had been working hard in order to make ends meat and so our budget was slightly stretched and there was a limit to things I could have. I had tried to get a job, but with patrolling and my school work becoming a large priority, my mother had insisted that I focus on that and leave the working to her. She said that I already had a job as an unpaid protector of our land, and she was very proud of that. I couldn't argue with her there.

About the _unpaid_ part of course.

However, that did not mean I was naïve about our situation, I knew my mother was struggling with the bills and that on top of that, my dreams of going to med school made it even harder for us. I felt guilty about that, but whenever I mentioned it she'd always say;

"Aim high darling and soon you'll be paying me back, and then some."

Nevertheless, despite my constant arguments against it, my mother still relentlessly dragged me to the car and took me to the mall. Although I was conscious about the prices of the items I chose to buy, it was still the most fun I'd had in a very long time. We went around the mall with our arms linked, smiling stupidly at whoever dared to give us a weird look.

We strolled around the stores, and we even went into my favourite shoe store, although my mother disapproved of the new baby blue Converse high-tops that I bought with my gift card. She claimed they looked the same as one of the pairs I had at home. I repeatedly clarified that they were not the same because the other pair were navy blue and didn't have punky stars on them. She'd rolled her eyes up to the heavens but merely laughed it off when I gave her my best puppy-dog eyes. And considering I was half wolf, it wasn't long before I was happily strutting out the store with my new Converses. Yeah, it was going to be a pretty good day.

* * *

><p><strong>SO, now we've reached Leah's brithday and firstly I would just like to say Yey, because Emmett made a prominent appearnce and I love him! Also, Eddie seemed less stuck up here don't you think? I hope you do becasue I tried hard to make him seem more laid back, the phone call was added yesterday in fact! Anyway, please review and tell me what you think about Tom, the random guy from Leah's chem. class!<strong>


	27. Chapter 27

**Well, right now I'm hanging my head in utter shame. I know it has been ages since I last updated and I really hope this hasn't deterred my devoted readers! Life has been so busy, I really haven't had any time! I'm going to give you guys a double helping of updates tonight, because honestly it's what you deserve. Please enjoy this chapter!**

**Disclaimer: All familiar ideas and characters are that of S. Meyer.**

* * *

><p><em><strong>Previously<strong>_

_We strolled around the stores, and we even went into my favourite shoe store, although my mother disapproved of the new baby blue Converse high-tops that I bought with my gift card. She claimed they looked the same as one of the pairs I had at home. I repeatedly clarified that they were not the same because the other pair were navy blue and didn't have punky stars on them. She'd rolled her eyes up to the heavens but merely laughed it off when I gave her my best puppy-dog eyes. And considering I was half wolf, it wasn't long before I was happily strutting out the store with my new Converses. Yeah, it was going to be a pretty good day._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 27<strong>

The entire experience was by far the best I'd ever had with her, and not because we'd spent far too much money on unimportant things, but because I'd finally got to spend time with my mother. After all that we'd been through, I realised how much I missed her, and I treasured every moment that I spent with her at the mall.

We were seated at a table in a corner of the food court, sipping our mugs of hot chocolate and chuckling whenever a cream moustache adorned our upper lips.

"I want to give you something." My mom said, once she'd placed her mug down. She fumbled in her bag for a moment, before she took out a burgundy rectangular velvet box. I sucked in a breath, knowing that whatever was in there probably cost a fortune that we couldn't afford.

"Mom, you shouldn't have, it's too much." I was interrupted by her abrupt laughter.

"Oh hunny, look at you jumping to conclusions when you haven't even seen it yet!" she smiled and gave me the box.

"Now open it."

I looked down at the box in my hands and then back up to meet my mother's gaze. She nodded encouragingly with a smile, and so I slowly opened it.

I gasped,

Inside the velvet box lay a thin silver chain that had been carefully plaited together so form a rope-like pattern. It was shiny and delicate, and in the middle it held an indigo sapphire heart. The jewel gleamed under the bright lights of the food court and for a moment I became entranced by its beauty.

"It's gorgeous." I murmured dazedly, staring at it in awe.

"It is, isn't it? It belonged to your great-grandmother on your father's side. Your great-grandfather made it; he was a jeweller you know? He found this sapphire himself whilst exploring near the mountains. It was raw and beautiful and he knew he couldn't sell it; he decided to give it to his wonderful bride as a wedding gift." My mother smiled and took a sip of her hot chocolate.

"We lost it you know?"

I raised my eyebrows; how could the possibly lose something so precious?

"We lost it when we moved houses. You remember how chaotic that was?" she shook her head and sighed at the memory.

"Your father was so angry when we couldn't find it, it was the only emblem he'd had of his grandparents as they'd died so suddenly and their things were all sold to pay off their debts."

I glanced at the shining jewel,

"How did you find it?" I breathed.

My mother laughed, "It was out of sheer luck, hunny. I was going through some of your father's things the other day when I found it in one of his old wallets. He must have put it there whilst we were in a rush, and forgotten where it was."

I looked up at her and she smiled at me fondly, "He'd always wanted to give it to his little girl, so you would always remember how truly special you are."

I arose from my seat and gave her a hug, taking in her warm familiar scent of honey and lavender, and savouring it. It was a scent I always wanted to remember.

"Thank you mom." I whispered, tears leaking onto my cheeks as I squeezed her within my embrace. I heard her sniff and I could tell she was crying too.

"It's alright darling, it's alright."

When we finally pulled apart, she smiled and wiped the tears off my cheeks with her thumb.

"Now, let's get this on. May I?"

I nodded and gave her the box which held the necklace. She carefully extracted the chain from its comfortable place in the box and clicked the clasp open. I held up my hair, removing it from my neck as she placed it there and let the jewel rest at the centre of my chest.

"There, perfect. Right where it belongs." She breathed and pulled me into another hug.

* * *

><p>We left the mall half an hour later after buying some house supplies and a hell of a lot of food. I figured there would perhaps be a small party at our house, and my mother wanted to prepare for it. However whenever I asked her what she had planned, she simply smiled and avoided the question; I knew that was the best my mother could do when it came to keeping a secret as she was a useless liar.<p>

The drive back home was calm and peaceful. We hummed along to our favourite classics as my mother's old CDs played on the radio, and it wasn't long before we'd arrived at the familiar winding road that led to my house, and I soon noticed that her fingers began tapping against the wheel. I raised a brow, recognising this gesture as one that she did when she was excited, but I refrained from saying anything as I knew she wouldn't reveal what was on her mind.

We soon arrived at the house, and my eyes began to dart as I scanned the area. My mother's actions had caused a sense of apprehension to build up in my gut, but when I saw nothing more than what I usually expected, I felt my heart sink somewhat. I hadn't anticipated for anyone to make a big deal out my birthday, and I was already more than happy with the events of the day so far. I had spent a wonderful day with my mother and that was blessing in itself, so I mentally scolded myself for selfishly wanting any more.

My mother parked the car in the garage, and I got out, heading towards the trunk to get our shopping bags.

"Oh no hunny, leave those to me. You go ahead and open the door."

I frowned, "Mom, it's ok; I think I can handle a few bags. Come on, let me help you."

I reached for the bags, but she protested once more.

"Darling, leave the bags to me. I need you to get a torch from the shed; I think I've dropped my earring inside the car."

"Ok." I said as I took the keys.

I opened the front door, and switched on the lights, bringing brightness in the otherwise darkened house. I figured Seth had gone out as his bedroom light didn't seem to be on. I walked through the kitchen, grabbing a cookie from a packet on the counter. I sighed with content.

'_My life is this cookie.'_

I quickly took another one, before opening the door to the backyard.

But as soon as I opened that door…

"Happy birthday Leah!"

* * *

><p><strong>Surprise! It's kinda cheesy, but I think a girl who's gone through as much as Leah has deserves a little surprise party! Please review and tell me your thoughts! Thanks for reading! <strong>

**Oh, and btw, thank you for all of the awesome reviews; I had to smile at some of the reviews that people wrote. A lot of you are predicting an outburst from Sam, and it's because of this that it's not going to happen. Because, hey, if you can predict it, then where's the fun in that? Please review this chapter, even if you do hate me! : (**


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28**

I jumped as all of a sudden eighty people all sprung out from various hiding places with a burst of joy and happy smiles. Their arms were out and it looked like I'd walked right into a movie. I clutched my chest as my heart pounded inside it out of shock and pure disbelief, but when I'd regained my breath, I took in the scenery before me.

My backyard had been transformed into a beautiful garden fit for a palace. The evening atmosphere was lit up by a thousand fairy lights snaked around Grecian styled pillars that stood tall all around the perimeter of the garden, as though the whole place was an old Grecian temple. I gasped as I looked up to find a net of more lights covering the entire surface of our fairly large garden. The lights changed colour, making everything else seem to change colour also. My eyes widened as I took in the freshly mowed lawn and the newly planted colour co-ordinated roses that stood before impeccably cut hedges in gorgeous neat rows. At the far end of the garden there were two hedges trimmed and formed into the shape of the words, _happy_ and _birthday_, each hedge had its own word and the letters had been cut one on top of the other. I gasped, not believing that they could possibly be actual hedges, but my surprise only grew further when I realised they were acting as an entrance to a dining area that had been created at the far end of the garden. It resembled to an outdoor restaurant, with tables and chairs set up in spacious rows and there was a small alter at the top, decorated with roses and vines wrapped around two towering pillars.

The entire garden looked dreamlike. I couldn't believe that in a matter of hours it could have been transformed into a fairy tale garden. I found myself shocked into a mental breakdown and I suddenly couldn't move as I was so surprised.

Needless to say, I dropped my cookie.

Everyone then rushed over to me and many warm arms were wrapped around me until I felt like a Christmas present. My ears were filled with wishes of a happy birthday, and laughter at my shocked expression. I found it hard to register the amount of people that were in my backyard, although I recognised most of them as those who'd called me earlier during the day.

Suddenly a tanned hand pushed away the bodies that surrounded me and I was swiftly engulfed into a merciless squeeze.

"Happy birthday Leah!" Rachel exclaimed once she'd released me. I stared at her with shock, realising that she was the mastermind behind everything for I had not seen her or heard from her during the entire day until then.

"Rachel…I- you…When… How?" I stammered, staring at her in utter disbelief.

Rachel laughed and brought my into a one-armed hug.

"Do you like it?" she asked. I looked at her incredulously, not believing she would ask such a pointless question.

"I guess I'll take that as a yes then." She said joyfully, and everybody cheered around us.

"Guys I don't know what to say."

"Well I do," Seth interrupted cheerfully,

"Em, turn up the music!"

Suddenly there was a loud boom of a beat and the sound waves vibrating throughout the entire garden were practically palpable. I couldn't help but wonder what was causing this loud sound as I knew we did not own such speakers. I turned towards the direction of the DJ, with the assumption that Seth had been addressing Embry.

But I was wrong.

There, stood at a podium set up with all kinds of music equipment that I'd never laid eyes on prior to that moment, was none other than Emmett Cullen. My eyes widened in shock as I watched Emmett bop his head to the music as he stood beside an expensive dock, kitted with speakers almost as large as him.

I turned over to Rachel who stood beside me.

"Rachel, what is Emmett Cullen doing here?" I asked

Rachel laughed nervously, "Yeah, about that… it's a long story…"

I raised a brow and folded my arms.

"I've got time."

"No you don't; I need to get you all dressed up. I mean, I forgive you for coming to your party in that outfit considering it was a surprise, but we need to get you all glammed-up now that you're here."

I shook my head at her attempt to distract me but allowed her to take my hand and lead me back into the house, which was harder to get to as we were now surrounded by dozens of dancing bodies. We walked back into the kitchen, only to find it fully kitted with refreshments and snacks on the counters, all in neat rows and colour co-ordinated. I looked around, hardly believing that the kitchen could have been so significantly transformed in a matter of minutes. I searched for my mother, but there didn't seem to be any sign of her; nonetheless, I knew at the back for my mind that no person could have done this at such a speed. It was physically impossible…

For a human…

Suddenly, my vision was entirely blacked out as I felt Rachel tie a blindfold across my head.

"Rachel, what the hell?"

"Shh, Leah, it's a surprise; a good surprise. Just take my hand and don't let go."

I did as she's requested, deciding to oblige with whatever game she was playing as I knew she only meant well. Slowly, we began to walk through the house, with Rachel leading and me following blindly. I reached out in search of any walls or obstructions that I could knock into. All of a sudden Rachel stopped, and her hold on my hand tightened, but before I could voice my question, she began to walk up the staircase. I frowned, not at all liking the idea of walking upstairs blindfolded. I could envisage an image of me falling down the stairs, which admittedly appeared to be of a greater height than in reality. The image lingered in my mind as I took slow steps up the stairs I normally ran down.

"Come on, almost there."

When we finally made it up, a century seemed to had passed, but a wave of anticipation flooded through me as I began to wonder what Rachel was leading me two. We made a turn in the corridor, and I realised we were heading into my bedroom. Rachel opened the door and my shoes hit the surface of my rug, however we walked on until she opened the door to my bathroom. Rachel then let go of my hand and I felt a swish of air as she walked passed me. I felt her fumble with the blindfold behind my head and my heartbeat began to speed up as I realised the surprise was finally going to be revealed. Blindfold was soon removed from my face and I slowly opened my eyes.

"Surprise!"

There before me, in my bathroom stood an ecstatic looking Alice, and a much less enthusiastic Blondie. I looked around and noticed that very much like the rest of my house, my bathroom had been completely altered and it now resembled to a hair and beauty salon.

Alice skipped over to me and extended her arms, giving me a big, cold hug. I smiled, and briefly hugged her back, although I was still pissed off about the kidnapping thing.

"Happy birthday Leah!" Alice exclaimed when she'd released me.

"Thank you Alice." I said, unexpectedly glad to see her.

"Happy birthday dog." Blondie said, refusing to move from her spot. I sent her a glare, but I was too happy for it to have held any real anger.

"Thank you Blondie." I said, sugary-sweetly. I accented it with a false smile, but she didn't return the favour.

'_Geez, she's more of a bitch than I am, and that's saying something considering I'm an actual bitch.'_

"Right, Leah there's no time to waste, your guests are waiting; we need to get you ready very quickly."

Alice took my hand into her cold one and led me over to a salon-styled chair before a large illuminated mirror. There were all kinds of cosmetic opponents that I'd never seen, or even heard of on a table which sat under the mirror.

Alice pressed a button on the arm rest of the chair, which caused it to lean back. My shoes were quickly removed and my face was splashed with water simultaneously. I heard the _click_ of a pair of heals on the tiled floor and soon I felt cool hands stroke into my hair. I looked up and realised that it was Rosalie who'd been approaching and was now untying my hair. She ignored the confused look and my face, and remained focussed on my hair. She walked over to the table and for a moment I was sure she was going to get a pair of scissors, but she didn't. Instead she grabbed a brush, straightening iron and a curling iron.

My eyes widened further.

'_Surely this is a bad idea.'_

"Don't move your face!" Alice commanded as she attacked me with a foundation sponge.

Soon I was forced to close my eyes as Alice dabbed eye shadow onto my eyelids, and I could only feel the hustle around me as Rosalie pulled at my hair, probably on purpose, Alice dabbed at my face and Rachel painted my toenails. I felt like I was in a salon and was under the treatment of expert employees who did this on a daily basis.

Whilst the time passed, I listened to the booming music downstairs, and by the time that they'd finished, I'd counted that eight songs had passed.

"There, done!" Alice exclaimed.

I opened my eyes, and my gaze automatically met Rachel, who stood before me, her eyes watering and her hands fanning her face as she tried to avoid ruining her own make-up.

"Lee-Lee, you look gorgeous." She breathed.

"Oh, you look amazing. I'm a genius." Alice said to herself with a smile.

I blushed, "Um, thanks."

"Don't thank us yet, if you don't take our word for it, see for yourself."

Alice steered the chair closer to the mirror and I was met with my reflection. I sucked in a breath when I saw just what they'd done to me. My face had been lightly accented with natural tones and my eyelids were dusted with different shades of violet and my eyes were framed with a thin line of eyeliner. My lashes had never looked as long or thick as they did then, and for the first time ever, they framed my brown eyes perfectly. I slowly took in my black hair, which now cascaded down my back and passed my shoulders, in perfect loose curls, and framed my face with a newly formed side-parting. I looked down at my finger nails which had been precisely painted a deep violet, and my toes also matched.

"Not half bad." Rosalie muttered, patting my curled hair. I sighed, speechless.

"Wow, you guys… I can't thank you enough…"

"We're only half done. Rose, get the dress." Alice said, clapping her hands excitedly.

I furrowed my eyebrows and I saw Alice flinch at the motion.

"Dress?"

She sighed, "Yes the dress, did you think we were going to let you stay in that outfit?" She shook her head.

I stood up and they led me back into my bedroom hurriedly, where Rosalie stood with a dress on a hanger covered by a white sheet in her hand.

"Rose, do it."

Rosalie removed the white sheet and I gasped when I saw the beautiful dress that I seen at the boutique. But I soon realised this one was better. It was slightly bluer than the other dress as the silk beneath the chiffon was a royal blue rather than indigo. The silver belt of the dress was also different, and I soon realised that it had been plaited into the same pattern as the chain of my necklace. I watched as the fabric of the dress gently and scarcely shimmered and the crystals on the belt gleamed under the light.

"It's beautiful." I whispered, barely able to breath.

"The store ran out of the dresses, and so Alice and Rosalie made it for you." Rachel said. I looked at the two Cullens sisters, utterly shocked.

"Thank you so much." I said my voice low and soft.

Alice danced over to me and engulfed me into yet another hug.

"You're very welcome. I guess it was a way to apologize for kidnapping you."

I snorted, "Apology accepted."

"Right well, let's get you in this dress and…Oh wait!" Alice disappeared momentarily before returning with a white shoe box in her hands. She quickly opened the lid and revealed a pair of glittery black killer peep-toe platform shoes. I gulped.

'_She's kidding right?'_

"You're kidding right?"

Alice frowned, "Don't you like them?"

I shook my head, "No, I love them… in the box."

Alice rolled her eyes, "Come on Leah, put them on, you'll be fine."

I stared at her with scepticism.

"Are you sure?"

Alice smiled sweetly and shoved the box in my face.

"Positive."

* * *

><p><strong>Well there it is; I'm pretty tired now so there's not much to say other than… Thanks for reading and please Review!<strong>


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29**

I stumbled down the stairs in my shimmering heels, they were sling-backs and so my feet had very little support and I was convinced that it was only a matter of time before a tumbled down the stairs. There was no one there helping me as the girls had remained in my bedroom, changing into their party outfits. So as I was alone, I was forced to desperately clutch the banister with both hands as if my life depended on it.

And it did.

Most likely

When I reached the bottom of the stairs I let out a loud sigh of relief, glad that nothing had been broken during that painful process. My mother suddenly entered the hallway having left the kitchen. She too had changed into a nice rose outfit that I hadn't seen her wear in years. When her gaze met my tense form she covered her mouth with her hands and tears began to pour out of her glistening eyes.

"Leah, sweetheart you look beautiful." she said.

"Thanks mom, so do you." I said, my eyes beginning to tear up also. I strictly berated myself, knowing that Alice would not hesitate to kill me if I ruined her masterpiece. My mother burst into laughter and I joined her; it was always better to laugh than to cry.

"Oh look at us, already starting the waterworks." She shook her head and brought out a tissue, carefully dabbing my eyes and, ridding it of the tears that had escaped.

I sniffed and giggled, "Yeah, I'm not a very good host am I?"

She smiled, "They'll understand. Now go, you've kept everyone waiting for long enough."

I nodded and walked on, relief flooding through me when I discovered that it was much easier walking across in the killer heels then walking down the stairs. I confidently sauntered over to the kitchen, ready to make my big entrance when I was hit by yet another surprise.

"Hello Leah, happy birthday." Mrs Cullen said with a smile. I smiled back, though I was totally surprised to see her.

"Thank you." I said, I felt bad for forgetting her name. I fumbled through the many files in brain in search for at least a clue of what her name could be. Karen, Amber, Sarah…

'_Wait, it started with an E didn't it?'_

"Esme, where should I put these?"

'_Esme, that's it.'_

I turned around to face my saviour only to find the other blond leech at the door, holding three stacks of boxes that must have been very heavy, with very little effort at all. I frowned.

'_Great, now I can't remember his name.'_

'_Wait Edward had said it just the other day… um… Casper that's it! I think…'_

"Just put it over there Jasper."

'_Oh Jasper… Oh well close enough.'_

I mentally repeated both their names in attempt to remember them for next time.

"Hello Leah, happy birthday." Jasper drawled in a Southern accent as he placed the boxes in a nearby corner.

"Thank you Jasper."

I walked over to the door and slowly opened it; I was stopped when Rachel's voice could be heard as she spoke through a microphone. She gave me a flattering introduction which made me grimace, and then when I finally stepped out into the garden once more, there was a burst of applause. I blushed as some guys began to wolf-whistle and howl.

I wasn't used to getting so much attention, and the attention I usually got was nowhere near as enthusiastic or even positive. But that had always been fine, because I wasn't one to crave attention, and so having a blinding spotlight on me and over eighty people staring at me, was really nerve-racking. A sudden wave of calm rushed through me and I finally found the courage to walk down the steps in the suicidal shoes and meet my guests.

* * *

><p>After two hours of smiling, greeting, laughing, shouting and dancing, I was exhausted. My throat hurt from yelling over the music, I had a huge headache and my cheeks were stiff as I'd never smiled so much in my life. However all of that combined, could not compare to the excruciating pain that my feet were forced to endure.<p>

I had attempted multiple times to change into a more comfortable pair of shoes, however Alice had acted as my personal body guard, ensuring my make-up was not smudged, my hair remained perfect and I did not have access to any other pairs of shoes.

I had begged and pleaded with her, but she'd merely said;

"Leah, everyone knows, beauty is painful; we women must suffer to look good."

I'd shaken my head and wondered why I hadn't received any of these memos that everyone else seemed to have gotten.

"Leah."

I turned around and smiled when I saw Jacob.

"Hey Jake."

"I've been looking all over for you Lee." He said with a smile.

"But you're probably so busy with all your new friends."

He gestured around us and I laughed and soon he joined me.

"I just wanted to say happy birthday Leah, you look… _wow_."

I blushed, but covered up my embarrassment by punching his arm.

"Thanks Jake."

"Ouch! You're welcome?" he said, rubbing his arm, though I could tell it didn't really hurt.

I grinned.

"Leah."

"Hey Seth."

"Lee, mom wants you in the kitchen." Seth said.

"Ok, guess I'll see you two later."

Jacob nodded, "Yep, don't forget us little people."

I rolled my eyes, "As if I ever could; you're not exactly little are you?"

Jacob laughed and held up his glass of '_punch'_.

"Glad to hear that I won't be swept to the side now that you have all your new friends."

I smiled, "Don't get too comfy, I might change my mind."

With that I left, stumbling over to the kitchen which seemed like an endless journey as I was surrounded by dancing bodies and could barely see the house.

When I finally made it to the kitchen, I found my mother bustling around with Esme, preparing more snacks for the hungry guests.

"Hunny, there you are," my mother said.

I nodded,

"Yep, here I am, Seth said you needed me?"

"Yes Lee, could you go over to the garage and get me an empty box?"

I raised a brow in confusion, but didn't object.

"Um, Ok."

I slowly made my way to the front door and then to the garage, wincing at every step and very tempted to take off the killer heels and throw them into the dark night, but considering they must have cost a fortune, I knew that wasn't an option. I decided to walk faster, figuring that the faster I had this done, the sooner I would be able to sit down.

I rushed over to the garage and pushed the button allowing the door to rise so I could enter. But when the door did rise it revealed something very unlike an empty box…

* * *

><p><strong>Well there you are; a very short but significant update! Not to fear, I think I'll treat you guys to another chapter to compensate for the long wait. By the way, apologies for that, it seems I'm getting much busier than usual, I'm not used to having a life… anyway, reviews will be appreciated and praised, and Edward lovers… well you'll see him soon….<strong>


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30**

"Edward?"

My hands dropped to my sides, and all thoughts of my swollen feet were momentarily forgotten as I stared at the handsome figure. Edward was leaning against our car casually, as though there was nothing weird about hanging out in a garage at a house which was hosting your girlfriend's birthday party.

I inwardly shook my head, but all I could do physically was rush towards him and soon I was caught in his cool, loving embrace. I wrapped my arms around his neck and took in a long slow breath, absorbing his sweet scent. Edward suddenly quickly reached down and I shivered as he placed his hand beneath my knees and lifted me up.

I yelped, but before I could protest, his sweet, inviting lips met mine. Our lips moulded together completely in sync and I soon realised that my memory of our kiss had not done it justice. By the time we parted, I was gasping for breath. Edward smiled down at me, still holding me as though I was as light as a feather.

"You look absolutely beautiful love." He murmured, setting me down to my feet.

I stumbled a little when the surface of the platforms on my shoes hit the ground, but when I did manage to get my balance, I winced as my weight had returned to my poor feet.

Edward's brows furrowed but there was a hint of humour in his gaze.

"Although…you seem taller than I remember." He murmured, a grin tugging at his lips.

I rolled my eyes, though I too had noticed that in the killer heels I was the same height as him. I was thankful for that, because if I'd been taller than him it would have felt weird.

"It's these stupid shoes that your sister made me wear." I grunted.

Edward's gaze travelled down to my feet and he lifted a brow at the platform sling-backs that were suffocating my poor toes. I bet it hurt just looking at them.

"They are quite… something." He murmured.

I suddenly felt self-conscious when I realised that he hadn't been looking at the shoes, but rather at my legs. His eyes quickly met mine once more and he breathed out a bunch of words in what I could recognise as Spanish.

I swallowed.

'_Damn that was sexy.'_

"What did you say?"

He smirked, "Somewhere along the lines of you look very attractive in that dress."

I blushed when he placed his hands on my hips and lured me to him. I brought my hands up to his head and began to caress his neatly disarrayed hair.

"Well you look pretty hot yourself." I murmured, my words barely filtered from my thoughts.

'_Talk about speaking your mind.'_

Edward chuckled, though I could tell he was embarrassed.

'_God knows why, this guy is freaking sexy'_

"Oh Leah, you're always one to speak your mind with boldness and sans fear."

I nodded.

"Yep, that's why you love me."

He smiled and stroked my hips with his thumbs, which momentarily made my brain run away into a faraway land, until I found myself hurriedly chasing after it.

'_Brain? Come back brain…'_

"Yes that is in fact one of the reasons why I have helplessly fallen for you."

I found myself hypnotically staring at his lips as they formed the words.

'_He's doing this to me on purpose.'_

I sighed, quickly changing the subject before I pulled his collar and violently locked those lips to my own, and never let go again.

"Wait, how are you and your family here? Does Sam-,"

Edward shook his head, "We got permission from your beta, he allowed us to cross your land as it is your birthday, and I wanted to celebrate it with you. The rest of my family were roped in by Alice who, along with your friend Rachel, planned this."

"So you knew about this?"

He rolled his gold orbs, "I made the mistake of mentioning your birthday to Alice…"

I groaned, but I couldn't help but smile after a while.

"Well I can't blame her much this time, this is amazing, my backyard looks like a scene from a movie, I can't thank you enough-,"

Edward shushed me by bringing a finger to my lips.

"You owe me no thanks, love, I'm just glad you're happy."

"Tonight is just perfect, with you here; it feels like nothing could go wrong."

I sucked in a breath and rolled my eyes, soon after I'd made the mistake of saying that sentence.

"Crap I've probably jinxed it now." I said

No sooner had those words left my mouth, did a black figure emerge in the corner of my eye. I turned my head as I remained in Edward's firm hold, and saw the black figure get closer and closer, unveiling itself out of night and into the light of the garage. My eyes widened when the black silhouette revealed itself to be a woman. She was beautiful and perfect, with blond hair cascading down her back like a yellow curtain, and pallid flawless skin that glowed under the dim light of the garage. She wore a short black dress that hugged every perfect curve of her lean toned body and on her feet were a pair of undoubtedly designer stilettos which were black, shiny and pointed at the toe. My eyes suddenly found themselves travelling back up to her eyes, which were adorned with bright crimson irises which harmonized with her red lips.

My body began to shake itself into action and I felt the familiar sensation of a warning overcome me. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end and I had Goosebumps on my arms.

I began to shiver, but it wasn't from the cold.

I quickly turned towards Edward who had also stiffened at the sight of the creature, although his eyes held no surprise, but rather confusion and disappointment. My eyebrows furrowed as I looked back at the leech.

'_What the hell is she doing on our land, surely she's not a Cullen; her eyes are red.'_

"Tanya, what are you doing here?" Edward asked warily, his eyes darting all over the leech's form before they rested on her glowing red eyes.

The leech laughed, and leaned onto the wall, placing her hand on her hip whilst she held up the other hand and glanced casually at her nails.

"It seems everyone was invited to the party but me." She said.

Edward frowned, "I thought you'd left."

The leech looked up from her nails, her eyes flashed onto Edward face and she frowned.

"You mean after you kicked me out."

I looked up at Edward; what was she talking about?

Edward's gaze refused to meet mine and he remained focussed on the leech who was apparently named Tanya.

"I didn't kick you out, Tanya; you left."

"Yes, I left, after I'd been humiliated and shamed by you."

"Tanya, I never meant to hurt you,-"

"To hell you didn't!"

Edward's hands swiftly moved from my hips to my wrists and he slowly pulled me behind him, intending to act as a shield between the mad blond and my _helpless_ human form.

I _almost_ rolled my eyes

But I let him guide me behind him because that _voice_ inside my head told me it wouldn't be the best of times to argue with him. And seeing as though every time I didn't listen to _Conscience_ something dodgy happened, I decided to give this new method a try.

"You had me feeling like a fool when I left. I thought you'd see how I felt about you! I thought you'd realise you felt the same way!" the blond shook her head manically.

"But obviously you don't, you're too busy screwing a rotten mutt."

I growled

'_That, right there, just earned her a slap.'_

"Look at her; she's a dog, a monstrous, ugly, mongrel that doesn't even deserve her human form!"

Edward hissed and immediately his body lowered into a crouched form.

"Don't you dare say that about her!"

The leech laughed cynically and slowly strolled closer to us.

"Why not, it's the truth isn't it?"

Her red orbs flashed onto me and glared at me, I glared back and she sneered disgustedly.

"How could you possibly love a mutt like her when I've loved you for so long and I've always been there for you?"

Edward shook his head.

"Look at what you've done to yourself Tanya, what you feel isn't love; it's lust. It's an obsession that you crave to feed more and more and you've convinced yourself that it's because you love me, when really you just want to nourish your craving."

The leech hissed, and Edward's hold on my wrist tightened.

"I loved you! How dare you try to tell me what I did or didn't feel? I loved you more than this little bitch could ever even imagine, and yet you stand here and insult me by turning me down for…_that thing_!" Suddenly the leech's eyes blazed and her red irises began to darken until they reached a dark crimson. I knew their eyes darkened when they were thirsty, but I soon realised that she wasn't thirsty for blood, she was thirsty for revenge.

In the space of less than a second, my arm was suddenly grabbed by a cold vice-like grip and I was flung across the garage, my head slamming into the corner of a shelf before a dropped onto the floor. My eyes began to close as my head was filled with pain. I felt dizzy and weak and I couldn't even remember what had happened. I felt my eyes droop as consciousness faded away, but I forced myself to remain awake in order to witness what was happening before me.

The two vampires were moving at a speed that I could barely decipher. They were evenly matched as Edward was faster than the leech, but she, having fed on human blood, was stronger. I slowly struggled to lift my lame body upwards, wincing when a pain spread throughout my body from my arm.

'_Shit'_

My eyes found the source of the blood that flowed onto my skin. It was from the wounds where the leech's nails had dug into my skin and ripped out some flesh when she'd flung me across the room. There were five deep wounds, one from each finger, and three of them were deep enough to have punctured a vein.

I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath, trying to ignore the surge of pain that came from my arm, my head and my back, as I slowly got up. My feet had finally been placed solidly on the ground, when the leech suddenly leaped at me. My shock caused me to stumble on those stupid heels and I ended up back on my ass. A rush of heat began to flow into my blood making it boil in such a heat, I was afraid it would evaporate out of my wounds as a gas.

I forced myself to calm down, knowing I couldn't phase with over fifty human guests still at my house. The two vampires fought relatively quietly and it was well hidden, but there would nothing well hidden about a huge wolf.

Suddenly the blond leech was slammed into the opposite wall and before she could even land on the ground, Edward held her up by her throat. He hissed at her and I noticed his eyes were ink black. He was no longer Edward Cullen; he was a blood thirsty beast, whose white shirt had been stained by my blood on the leech's fingers.

'_Damn, he must be pissed about that.'_

His eyes were wild, and held no compassion or forgiveness in them. I could barely recognise him and for a moment it scared me.

"How dare you hurt her? How dare you _touch_ her! You say I did this to you, but you did it to yourself!"

He tossed her into the other wall, and before her head had even landed onto the ground, he took her neck and slammed her head into the concrete floor with such force; I could feel the vibrations on the floor below me. The leech cried out and wept tearlessly, but Edward showed her no mercy, his grip on her neck only strengthening as he spat out angry words at her.

"I only wanted to love you; I wanted you to be mine, she doesn't deserve you-,"

She was interrupted when her head was slammed once more into the ground.

I winced, surely that was a little too much.

"Edward, don't." I whispered my voice cracking and soon I began to cough. I covered my mouth with my hand and coughed into it, it was then that I realised I was coughing out blood. I held my head in pain as I coughed, only to feel the blood gushing out of another wound. I let my hand fall once more, using what was left of my strength to remain sitting.

Edward was too consumed in his wave of fury to have heard my pleading, or to listen to it. He seemed resolute on attempting to kill the leech after she'd hurt me. He kneeled above her helpless form, his hand never leaving her throat and his other hand holding her down.

"Edward please, I love you. That other day when we kissed-,"

She was interrupted yet again by another slam into the floor.

But I hadn't missed the last words she'd said.

'_They kissed?'_

Suddenly the thought was cleared out of my mind when there was a rush of wind and three other figures entered the garage. I released a sigh of relief when I realised it was Alice, Emmett and Rosalie, only to end up coughing out more blood into my hand. Alice was the first to intervene; she flitted up to me and crouched down beside me.

"Leah, oh goodness..." She quickly picked me up in her small dainty arms and handed me over to Emmett as though I were a parcel. Emmett took my bloodied form with ease, and for the first time since I'd known him, he seemed seriously concerned.

"Bring her to Esme." Alice instructed, joining Rosalie over to where Edward still had the leech trapped onto the ground.

Emmett nodded and he then took my injured arm and gently placed it over his shoulder, I winced at the motion and he gave me an apologetic smile in response. He darted into the house at full speed and we reached my room in a matter of seconds. In there I saw that Esme had already been prepared and she was even accompanied by Dr Cullen.

Emmett gently laid me down onto the bed and caused as minimal pain as he possibly could, until he took my arm from his shoulder. I cried out in pain and he quickly let go, his hands now drenched in my blood. Esme knelt beside us and slowly took my arm off Emmett's shoulder; I closed my eyes and bit my lip in attempt to refrain from crying out once more.

When my head was finally placed onto a soft pillow, I suddenly felt very tired; my eyelids began to droop once more.

* * *

><p><strong>Please review! Hope you enjoyed reading this chapter!<strong>


	31. Chapter 31

**Once again, it's been a while, I'm sorry! Thank you for all the reviews, they really do make my day! Please enjoy this chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I'm not S. Meyer so I don't own Twilight.**

**Chapter 31**

* * *

><p><strong>Previously<strong>

_When my head was finally placed onto a soft pillow, I suddenly felt very tired; my eyelids began to droop once more._

* * *

><p>"Leah,"<p>

I opened my eyes slightly, to see Dr Cullen leaning over me; his hand gently placed on the bleeding wound on my head.

"Leah I'm going to need you to stay awake, you seem to have lost a lot of blood…"

I closed my eyes once more, far too tired to listen.

"No, Leah, please stay awake." Dr Cullen said.

I reluctantly opened my eyes.

"Hm?"

"Tell me what happened."

I shook my head, and then grimaced as another surge of pain rushed through me.

"You don't want to tell me? I can assure you Leah, there's nothing to be afraid of, I simply want to ensure you stay awake to avoid a concussion."

"No." I croaked out, then I coughed repeatedly, my throat filled with blood that was released from my coughs.

Dr Cullen immediately gave me a napkin which I coughed into. I watched as the white fabric absorbed the blood-red liquid. Esme abruptly disappeared, but she quickly reappeared and she was holding a glass of water. She placed her hand behind my head and held it up, bringing the glass to my lips and I sipped the cool clear liquid. At first I began to cough again, but when I drank slower I felt a release in my throat as the blood cleared away.

Meanwhile, Dr Cullen inspected my arm, pondering over why it hadn't healed yet. I too was worried about this matter, because I knew that normally the wounds on both my arm and head would have healed, and yet they were still as deep and bloody as ever.

"Perhaps the bones on your arm need to be set." He murmured after a while. He took my arm gently in his cold hands.

"Tell me where it hurts most." He instructed as he began to bend my elbow.

I yelped, suddenly wide awake as more pain filled my body.

"I'm sorry about that, it's seems your elbow has been pulled out of place and it's altered the mechanism of your arm. If I just set the bones, it should encourage the heeling process to initiate."

He slowly straightened my arm out again, and before I could see what was coming, he pulled at it quickly, and my elbow audibly clicked back into place. I hadn't even been given any time to scream then because as soon as it was done, the pain in my arms was subdued and the wounds were beginning to slowly heal.

Dr Cullen thoroughly disinfected the wounds before allowing them to heal gradually, and moving onto my head. The problem there had turned out to be a chip of wood that had wedged itself into my skull when I'd banged into the shelf. Dr Cullen couldn't simply pull the chip out and therefore the pain was unbearable, as he slowly extracted it from underneath a thin layer of skin that had already tried to heal.

By the time that he was finished treating all of my injuries, I felt more tired than ever, I was more than prepared to risk a concussion in order to get some sleep. I closed my eyes, planning to ignore Dr Cullen's warning, when instead I heard the door slam open and suddenly Edward we kneeling beside me.

"Leah, oh love." He murmured, his eyes scanning over the bandages on my arm and the stitches on my head.

I froze, refusing to face him, and slowly I turned my head to the opposite side.

"Leah?"

I remained silent.

"Leah love, please speak to me, I'm sorry you had to see that. I know I lost control, I shouldn't have-,"

"You kissed her?" I croaked, my gaze still focussed on my window, but the vision became blurry as tears began to form in my eyes.

I sniffed angrily, what was wrong with me?

"Leah, it's not what you think, Tanya has always shown some… interest in me, but I have never reacted to it I swear. Leah, I have no interest in her, I never have-,"

"But you kissed her."

Edward sighed.

"I didn't kiss her, she kissed me, I didn't respond to it in any way."

"So why didn't you tell me?"

There was a short silence before he answered and when he did speak, his voice sounded pained.

"It was two days ago, the day you were… brought to my house. Earlier that day everyone had left… they'd gone their separate ways and Tanya and I were left alone in the house."

I gulped,

"So it happened right before I arrived?"

"No, not right before… Nothing happened really, I tried to get her to leave, I told her I had no romantic interest in her but she was… persistent."

I slowly turned around to face him, a frown etched on my face.

"Did you do more than kiss?"

Edward shook his head,

"No, she just… she was attempting to do more…"

I raised a brow and sick thoughts began to fog my mind.

"By?"

Edward sighed; he ran a hand through his hair as he looked for the right words to explain it.

It wasn't a hard task for my cynical mind; I could sum it up in five words.

'_She tried to seduce him.'_

Edward glanced at me and nodded.

"She did, but nothing came of it, I swear to you."

I shook my head,

"Why didn't you tell me? If it didn't mean anything then why would it matter if you told me? It means more to me that you kept this from me than the fact that she made a move on you."

"Leah… I'm sorry."

"Or maybe you really do feel something for her?" I stopped as the fears of him secretly having an affair with the blond leech began to in seep into my mind and pollute all positive thoughts I had inside.

"Leah, I share no feelings for her, honestly."

I remained silent once more, no longer sure of what to believe. I wanted more than anything to convince myself he was telling the truth, but honestly I doubted my sense of judgment, especially considering Sam had torn my heart to pieces almost exactly a year ago, was this going to be another repeat of the past?

"Edward, I think you should go." I whispered.

"Leah…"

"Please just… just go."

I closed my eyes, capturing the pending tears as he left and gently closed the door.

And once again I was left alone.

* * *

><p><strong>Very short chapter I know, but the story is nearing the end and frankly I want to avoid it as much as possible, that is why the updates have slowed down, I feel like crying at the prospect of this being over! : ( Anyway, please review, they bring joy to my heart!<strong>


	32. Chapter 32

**Hello! Before you read on I would just like to say a massive thank you to all who have ben reviewing even throughout the whole story, but especially after the last chapter. To be honest I wasn't entirely sure about it but honestly your comments have been amazing! **

**Now, without further ado…**

**I own nada…**

**On with the reading!**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 32<strong>

I lay there for a while listening to the booming music downstairs. I looked over at my clock which revealed it was only nine o'clock. I had lain on my bed for a mere ten minutes since Edward had left and yet it felt as though I had been there for days. I sighed and sat up, and suddenly the door opened and I was graced by the company of Rosalie.

I sighed and rolled my eyes.

'_What now?'_

"Leah?"

I looked up at Blondie.

"Yep that's me." I said bitterly, running my fingers on the surface of the soft bandage on my arm.

"Leah, what are you doing up here alone? Where's Edward?"

I sighed again, feeling even more miserable at the mention of his name.

"I don't know where he is, I was trying to get some rest after everything that happened. I'll be down soon enough."

Rosalie raised a brow.

"Really, so you didn't have an argument?" she said pointedly.

I frowned and narrowed my eyes.

"Were you eavesdropping?

"_Oh please_, I could hear you from outside." She responded with an eye roll.

I looked down into my lap where my helpless hands lay.

"It's none of your businesses anyway." I whispered.

Rosalie leisurely approached me and hesitantly sat down on my bed. She slowly brought her arm towards me but then took it back, obviously wondering what the hell she should do in this situation. Inwardly, I appreciated her show of affection, even if it had failed.

"You know, mu- _Leah_."

I glared at her, but she ignored me and inspected her nails.

"My brother does care about you a lot."

"Thanks for the memo." I muttered.

She huffed and turned to face me.

"He loves you, for reasons that are unknown to me and one can never fully understand, Edward has fallen for you. He was in dark place when you found him, Leah, and yet somehow you've lifted him and he's… happy with you. I appreciate that you've helped him, and so I feel inclined to help fix this silly banter of yours."

"It's not a silly banter, he kept this Tanya ordeal a secret, he knows I value honestly more than almost anything else, and yet this silly blond bitch comes along and all of a sudden he feels he has to keep it a secret from me."

I shook my head,

"Why he couldn't have just told me the truth? I would have been pissed, yeah, but it wouldn't have made me as angry as I am now. How can I trust him now if I know he tried to keep this from me?"

Rosalie sighed and shook her head.

"Have you ever known anyone more honourable than my brother?"

She smirked.

"Even _you_ are less trustworthy than he and you know it. He didn't mean to cause you any harm, he just didn't want you to think that he had any interest in Tanya. Besides, you only saw him once after the ordeal, how do you know he wasn't going to tell you at a later date?"

I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

Rosalie smiled victoriously,

"And if you really think that Edward has any feelings for Tanya, then you needn't fear, because there's one thing I know about my brother that holds no doubt in my mind."

She turned to face me and bore her gold eyes into mine.

"He prefers brunettes."

* * *

><p>I rushed down the stairs in search for the crazy vamp who'd stolen my heart. By now my house was crowded with people who were hungry after all of the dancing, and it was hard to manoeuvre around the corridor as I kept bumping into people who wanted conversations with me in the process.<p>

"Leah!"

I turned around, only to be met by a horrified Alice.

"Leah what are you doing down here?"

"I'm looking for Edward, have you seen him?"

Alice frowned and took my hand.

"Come with me."

I quickly followed her back upstairs until we reached my bedroom. I looked at her quizzically but she merely opened the door and pulled me in.

"Edward isn't in here." I stated confused.

But Alice purely ignored me.

"What were you thinking going out there looking like that?"

"What?"

Alice disregarded my question and dragged me back into the bathroom where I was seated into the chair again. Her small hands worked quickly over my face, and in a flash we were joined by Rosalie who began to brush my hair.

I winced when Alice's powder brush stroked my wounds.

"Sorry, we can just cover those up with your hair, right Rose?"

Rosalie's response was silent, but I figured she'd agreed because soon she'd begun to brush out a side fringe to conceal the stitches at the side of my head. When Alice was finished reapplying the make-up, she disappeared back into my bedroom, only to reappear with a white shoebox and a gorgeous black army jacket.

"Here, you can wear this to cover up the bandages on your arm."

I took the jacket and rested it on my lap, and then I stared pointedly at the shoebox.

"Alice, if you think I'm wearing those shoes again then…"

She shook her head, "Maybe that wasn't one of the best ideas… Here, wear these instead, they're much more practical."

I took the box and removed the lid, revealing a black, glittery pair of sandals. I frowned; they were still heeled, even if the heels were shorter.

"Alice-,"

"It's the best I can do at such short notice; I know you prefer the other pair but-,"

"Wait, what?"

I looked at her incredulously.

'_Surely she is joking.'_

"Alice they're beautiful, I love them."

The little vamp's face lightened up and she clapped her hands.

"Great! Now quickly put them on, you need to go downstairs; people are beginning to wonder where you are."

I rolled my eyes,

"After all of the crap that went down, they've only _just_ noticed I left?"

Alice shrugged,

"It's a pretty good party, if I do say so myself."

I shook my head but quickly put on the shoes, amazed at the fact that my feet hadn't broken along with my arm in those awful platform sling-backs.

I then shrugged on the jacket, and after thanking them both, I hurried out of my bedroom and rushed down the stairs, resuming my search for Edward. I reached the kitchen and was immediately surprised to see that no one was in the room. I raised my eyebrows, but didn't hesitate before heading into the garden. It too seemed to be empty, but I could hear the distant music from the far end of the backyard.

I followed the music, and then I realised that everyone had headed to the section of the garden that acted as an outdoor restaurant. There were now people being seated at the vacant seats and they were served by my mother, Esme, Seth and Dr Cullen.

"Leah?"

I turned around and my eyes widened in surprise when I realised who it was.

"Embry?"

"Yep, it's me." He smiled guiltily.

"Err listen, can we talk in private?"

I shrugged my shoulders.

"Sure."

Embry led me out of the dining section of the garden and he stopped when we reached a small, secluded corner.

"Well, what's up, I thought you weren't talking to me."

He rubbed a hand across his face frustrated.

"Leah, I'm sorry for the way I reacted the other day, I shouldn't have been such a jerk. What Sam did was wrong, I wanted to kill him when I saw what he did to you, but I know the way I acted only made things worse."

I crossed my arms,

"So why did you do it?"

Embry hesitated before answering, and his gaze swiftly averted towards the ground.

"I was jealous. When you told me you and Cullen were… _you know_…"

I blushed

'_Yes I do know.'_

"I felt really mad and jealous because well, I kind of like you and knowing that you were with him just set something off inside of me."

I sighed, so Rachel had been right.

"Embry, look, about me and Edward… I didn't…"

I hesitated, not wanted to finish that particular sentence in case the guy in question happened to be lurking around, that would be very embarrassing if that were the case.

"It's ok, Jacob told me everything."

'_Oh thank God for that.'_

"Oh, he did?"

Embry nodded, and a gentle smile appeared on his face.

"Yeah, he explained that you weren't really… _with him_ in _that_ way, until the other day, and you only told Sam that to piss him off, which is fair enough."

A grin dared to approach my lips,

"So you're not mad that I'm with him?"

Embry shrugged,

"It still kinda hurts, but considering everything that he's done for you… well, I think I can tolerate him."

I grinned and pulled him into a one-armed hug.

"Thank you." I whispered honestly grateful that he too had decided to set aside his prejudices for my sake.

"_But_ if he _ever_ messes you up, Jake and I will be the first to pound him into oblivion and burn his sorry ass at the stake."

I frowned,

'_Yep, he definitely spoke to Jacob.'_

"You know, strangely enough, I think I'm ok with that."

Embry grinned and I left him as he headed towards the dining section. I pursued my quest of finding the bronze-haired vamp, realising in the process that my garden was far bigger than I'd ever thought. By the time I found him, the sparkly sandals were hurting my feet, and to make matters worse, in between me and him was a muddy hill.

'_Oh for goodness sake!'..._

* * *

><p><strong>Well, there you have it, a confrontation of sorts from Embry. Please review and tell me what you think!<strong>


	33. Chapter 33

**Guys, honestly I was speechless from the amount of reviews I got for the last chapter. I started grinning stupidly to myself when I saw them and everyone who saw thought I was a weirdo. But who cares, because I got some awesome reviews right? Anyway, I'm sending some virtual treats to everyone. Please enjoy this chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I think you get the point… I own nothing**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 33<strong>

I pursued my quest of finding the bronze-haired vamp, realising in the process that my garden was far bigger than I'd ever thought. By the time I found him, the sparkly sandals were hurting my feet, and to make matters worse, in between me and him was a muddy hill.

'_Oh for goodness sake!'_

I took off my sandals and held them in my hands as I trudged into the brush barefoot; I was no longer in my garden, but rather approaching the depths of the forest. I groaned; why did he have to make things so difficult?

"Edward?"

'_You dickhead_' I added silently in my head, though he probably heard.

He looked up from the log he was seated at, and he seemed alarmed to find a weird she-wolf in a shimmering dress and a cool leather jacket with a manic expression on her face, approach him.

"Edward, it's ok, Rosalie told me everything. I'm sorry I doubted you."

As I finally reached him, I tripped over a stray branch, which really had me perplexed as I'd made all the rest of the way without a problem. I quickly raised my hands for balance, but I didn't need to, because as soon as I'd tripped I felt a cold pair of hands steady me as they quickly clutched my waist.

"Well that was fast." I breathed, staring into his eyes. He lifted his hand from my waist and gently stroked the hidden stitches on my head.

"You don't owe me an apology, Leah; it is I who must apologize."

He sighed and looked down, disgusted with himself.

'_I sense a speech coming along…'_

"I should have prevented this; I think I led her on… now she's gone off the rails, she fed on a human… if I'd cleared everything beforehand this wouldn't have happened."

I shrugged and rolled my eyes,

"Yeah well you _should've_ but you _didn't_. It's done now, we can move on. I know you don't have feelings for her and I was wrong for ever suspecting it. _You_ should have told me what happened, but you know what, that doesn't even matter."

I stopped and reached for his face, guiding his gaze to meet my eyes.

"We're here now, together. That's what matters."

Edward cradled my face with both hands and smiled gently.

"I couldn't agree more."

We joined our lips into a sweet kiss, and when we parted, I lifted a brow and smirked at him.

"You know you were wrong before."

Edward's raised a brow,

"About what?"

"When you said you were sorry that I had to see you all vamped up."

I chuckled.

"I didn't mind seeing that…"

I wrapped my arms around his waist and hooked my thumbs to the belt loops of his black slacks.

"In fact, I found it quite enjoyable, barring the fact that I was bleeding to death and all that… I must say, you looked pretty damn sexy."

Edward stared at me in surprise.

"Leah… you truly are one to always speak your mind."

I shrugged,

"You would have heard it either way. Seriously though, that whole dark eyes and _true vampire nature_ thing... totally turned me on, or rather it would have if it was under… _different circumstances_."

I shook my head at myself inwardly.

'_That wasn't suggestive.'_

Edward remained silent for a while before shaking his head.

"I think we should head back now."

"Yeah probably." I agreed, barely holding in a laugh at his facial expression.

* * *

><p>We headed back to the party hand in hand and soon after I'd eaten my own meal at a special table in the outdoor diner, my mother announced that I had a speech to give. I'd frowned then because I'd had no idea what to say, but in the end I'd ended up spouting out some sensual emotional business that brought tears to everyone's eyes, including my own.<p>

After my speech, my birthday cake was brought in.

I stared at it in shock and Edward laughed beside me.

"It's the strawberry cheese cake with raspberry swirls!" I exclaimed, as excited as a little kid on Christmas.

It was then that I remembered that I'd never gotten a chance to eat the slice of cake Edward had ordered for me at the restaurant. I knew he was behind that particular detail. It was thoughtful of him and my stomach approved.

Everyone happily sang happy birthday in various random tunes and when they were done, me ears were practically bleeding, but nonetheless I happily blew out the candles. I got to have the first slice of the cake.

I dug my desert spoon into its soft cheesy cream and took in a large mouthful.

'_Oh… oh wow.'_

"This is amazing." I said, taking in another mouthful.

"Thank you." Edward said with a smirk, he'd taken a slice for himself, but I knew it was just to put on a show for the humans around us.

"You made it?"

Edward shrugged,

"Yes, I could remember the recipe from the chef's mind, and I felt bad that you didn't get to have the slice you ordered."

I nodded,

"I felt bad too."

Edward chuckled and kissed my forehead.

"I'm guessing you want this slice also?"

I took the plate from him, grinning sheepishly,

"We shouldn't let it go to waste…"

I happily tucked into the second slice, when a thought occurred to me.

"Hey, Edward, do you think you can cook ribs?"

Personally, I'd thought it was a valid question, considering I hadn't gotten a chance to try the ribs at the restaurant, and he could cook so well. But evidently I'd been wrong, because he merely shook his head and walked away, chuckling to himself. I followed him, my two plates in hand, trying to convince him to answer the question.

* * *

><p><strong>Ok so I know this is a very short chapter, believe me, after all the awesome reviews, I really wanted it to be longer. <strong>_**But**_** I'm practically in tears because the story is drawing to a close and I have this weird thing where I can't stand to see the end of something. This means that I will be **_**bawling**_** at the end of Breaking Dawn part. 2! It also means that I was holding the end off as long as possible, but not to fear; there is one more chapter and an epilogue! Anyway, please review I absolutely love hearing from you all!**


	34. Chapter 34

**Hey guys! Well, this is it, the last chapter of The Science of Love. I'm surprised to find that I'm not tearing up as much as I thought I'd be, though perhaps that has something to do with the fact that there's a epilogue after this. Any who, thank you sooo soo so much for your support and reviews, special thanks to ****YugiohObsessed who read the whole story very recently and reviewed every chapter. Thank you so much and I hope you enjoy this one as much as the others!**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 34<strong>

The party lasted until two in the morning and by then even the hardcore partiers could barely stand on their own two feet.

And that _wasn't_ because they were _drunk as hell_, this was after all, a party filled with _teenagers_, so _obviously_ _no_ drinking was involved…

_Because that would be illegal…_

_Anyway_, everyone was heading home at this stage, and Carlisle and Esme had kindly offered to drive those who lived further away back to their houses.

I dragged my bare feet along the floor of the kitchen and slumped onto a nearby stool. The entire kitchen was a mess and I could barely see the floor around the counter. I sighed and rested my head atop of the cleared table; the only cleared item in the entire room.

"Well, someone's tired."

I looked up to find Rachel looking down at me.

"Oh Rach, tonight was… amazing." I said

"It was wasn't it?"

I grinned at her smugness.

"Thank you so much, for everything."

Rachel smiled and sat down beside me on another stool.

"You're welcome. You deserve it, and besides it was fun, meeting the Cullens was an interesting experience. I really like Alice and Rosalie, and Esme's practically everyone's mother. They're nice, but I'm still yet to meet your boyfriend."

I automatically rolled my eyes, "He is not my-, _oh wait_."

Rachel laughed, "I can't believe you're still trying to deny it!"

I sighed, "I'm not, that was just a force of habit."

Rachel shook her head but her upcoming words were interrupted by a deep humoured voice.

"Damn, this place is a tip."

I turned around and rolled my eyes as Emmett trudged through the mess on the floor.

"You'd better get to work then." Esme said.

Just as he was about to complain, she gave him 'the look' that mothers usually gave that rendered their victims powerless. I chuckled as Emmett frowned but grabbed a broom from Jasper's awaiting hand and began to sweep.

I grinned at the sight.

"Hello love." I turned around and was met with Edward's awaiting lips; I kissed him softly but quickly parted when I remembered we had company.

"Edward, this is Rachel, she's being _dying_ to meet you."

Rachel blushed and sent me a glare. I shrugged and smiled evilly at her when Edward wasn't looking.

"Hello Rachel, it's a pleasure to finally meet you."

Rachel stared up at him and slowly shook his outstretched hand. She looked into his eyes as though she was in a trance. I subtly pinched her side and she jumped out of it.

"Pleasure to meet you too." she said, giving me sidelong glance.

When Edward had left, with orders to help clear up the garden given by Esme, Rachel turned to me excitedly.

"Oh my gosh Leah, he is so hot!"

"Ssh, he can hear every word you're saying!"

Rachel waved her hand dismissively,

"Then he can hear that he is freaking hot!"

I shook my head disapprovingly.

"Oh wow, Leah you really know how to pick 'em."

I blushed, knowing that Edward had heard that too.

"I'm mean really, did you see that bod-,"

"Paul!"

Rachel stopped and looked at me perplexedly after scanning over the room.

"Where?"

"Oh _nowhere_, I just wanted to make sure you still _remember_ him."

She rolled her eyes,

"Leah, you're so lucky. Why couldn't I have been really bad at biology?"

"Hey, I wasn't _that_ bad!"

She completely ignored me and continued.

"Then I would have needed I tutor…"

Suddenly she gasped

"Maybe he could help me with history! Dude, I'm totally failing that class."

I stared at this crazy girl, but I couldn't form any words to express my disbelief so I merely got up and decided to join the guys with the clearing up.

* * *

><p>It took no more than half an hour to get the house tidied because Esme had assigned stations for every single person and had given them orders they had to follow. She was like an unstoppable dictatress who could persuade anyone to do anything with just a simple smile and some encouraging words.<p>

Soon after the house was tidied, the Cullens left, along with Rachel who was picked up by a tired looking Paul. I waved them goodbye, exclaiming multiple thank you's before heading upstairs to my room where I hurriedly put on my pyjamas. They were a new pair that I'd purchased earlier on during my shopping trip; I'd been very proud that I remembered to by a long sleeved pair with long trouser legs, because evidently, the 'shorts and tank top' ensemble was no longer… suitable.

Once I'd gotten dressed, I lay in my bed, stupidly smiling to myself about how amazing the day had turned out to be.

'_Happy birthday me'_ I thought, although technically my birthday had ended three hours ago.

"Actually you still have an hour left as you were born at four am."

I turned around and rolled my eyes at Edward.

"How do you do that?" I asked, regarding his ability to randomly show up at the most unexpected times. It was because of him that I had taken to wearing these more modest pyjamas. The guy was more like a ghost than a vampire.

He shrugged and sat down at the edge of my bed.

"To what are you referring to?

I shook my head when I noticed his grin.

"I'm too tired for this."

He chuckled and walked closer to me whilst I sat up. He took a seat beside me and began to stroke my hair, gently running his fingers through the strands.

"I'll let you rest now, you've had a pretty eventful day, haven't you love?" he murmured, his hand brushing against my cheek.

I nodded barely able to speak as I looked into his eyes.

"Very eventful,"

He smiled and slowly brought his lips to mine.

Our slow tender kiss progressed into something far less innocent, and soon I'd somehow managed on top of him rather than beneath my covers. I ran my fingers through his hair which was soft and silky and far harder to mess up that it appeared to be. I moaned as his hands stroked my hips and slowly slipped underneath my top.

'_So much for these new pyjamas.'_

His cool hands caressed my bare back and then my stomach and personally I thought this was unfair considering I couldn't do the same to him as his new shirt was _skin tight_. My hand slyly travelled towards his throat where it distracted him with thorough strokes before heading towards his shirt collar. I felt him tense, but he didn't object and so I carried on…

_Until._

_Of course_.

"Hey Lee, I just- whoa,"

I jumped up and parted away from Edward who looked more amused than stricken, only to see Seth staring at us from the doorway. I frowned as I was met with a wave of déjà vu, suddenly remembering that the last time I'd found myself in this situation, I had been _strangling_ Edward, not making out with him.

"It seems that I've interrupted something." Seth said partly embarrassed but mostly smug.

I rolled my eyes

'_Go ahead… take a picture why don't you.'_

"Seth we weren't doing anything-,"

"Actually," Edward interrupted,

"We were studying." I looked over to him, only to find him seated at my desk holding up my chemistry textbook.

'_How did you do that?'_ for once my thoughts were actually directed _at_ him. He simply grinned in response, whilst I stared in shock.

"Studying huh?" Seth said an evil smirk on his lips.

I was shaken out of my disbelief, "Yes studying, chemistry… _Now leave_."

Seth smirked but obliged, closing the door behind him slowly as though he was purposely teasing me.

I frowned; he probably was.

"That's it, I'm done." I exclaimed shaking my head.

"No more."

Edward looked at me confusedly.

"You're banning me from your room?"

I shook my head, "No, although I probably should."

His lips slowly lifted to a sly smirk. "Then what?"

I sighed,

"I'm getting a lock."

Suddenly, the quiet room was filled with the most beautiful, melodic sound of Edward's laughter. I felt my heart soar as the resonance filled my now hazed mind, and let me forget about why he was laughing in the first place. I smiled, and slowly draped my arms around his neck, treasuring the enduring moment that I knew was rare and precious. I had never heard him laugh so whole-heartedly, and it filled me with joy to know that I had caused his humour; his up-lifting.

"Of course you make me happy Leah." Edward murmured as his lips reached my neck.

I sighed,

"We need to do something about this mindreading habit of yours."

He looked up from my neck and smirked.

"You love my mindreading habit."

I snorted and rolled my eyes,

"No I don't… but I do love you." I smiled and took his flawless face in my hands, feeling my insides turn to mush as he caressed my scalp. Never would I have ever imagined that a cold vampire could make me feel so warm inside.

"And I love you."


	35. Epilogue

**Well guys, this is it, the final chapter of the story. I would like to say a huge thanks to everyone who reviewed; you guys have been absolutely wonderful, I would have never had thought at the beginning of this that I would get over 200 reviews! Thank you so much to all who have supported this story by reviewing, following and putting it as their favourite! I'm sure that there will soon be a one shot coming out so we'll see more of Leah and Edward...**

**A special thanks, once again to all my reviewers:**

**GothChiq80, **

**gaaragirl202, **

**IreneRose, **

**brankel1, **

**nakala, **

**Marie One, **

**hgmsnoopy, **

**RuKka, **

**everyday I'm shuffling, **

**jberri79, **

**IBTeri,**

**Capp'n, **

**Firefly-class, **

**JJ1234, **

**Edrose, **

**glamgurl24, **

**Nnikkipooo,**

**TiGeRzYi, **

**chanalamas, **

**dhh, **

**miramisa90212, **

**DaniLautner, **

**brebrelovesyou, **

**Twilightnumberone, **

**Padfootkicksbutt, **

**Mercyrus, **

**tweetychic08, **

**azilamm, **

**esthealice17, **

**k1demmin, **

**YugiohObsessed, **

**hateme101, **

**youcancallmebob**

**Now without further ado…**

* * *

><p><em><strong>Epilogue<strong>_

One month Later…

I clutched my book against my chest tightly, and stared up at the grey brick building before me. I frowned, shifting my weight onto each foot and fidgeting with the book in my hands. I bit my lip.

"I think I'm going to be sick." I murmured, looking down at my book. If I was going to throw up, I'd make sure I did it on my text book, this thing had been the cause of many sleepless nights, and it deserved what was coming to it.

Edward chuckled beside me and took hold of my arms.

"Leah listen to me, you'll be fine. You know everything in there, you already completed my test and you did perfectly well. That was harder than the one they'll give you, I assure you."

I gulped,

"You're just saying that."

Edward sighed,

"Leah, why would I lie to you?"

I snorted,

"Obviously to make me feel better."

Edward considered this for a moment,

"I admit, that's true, but I'm not lying now."

I looked up at him.

"You promise?"

He held up a hand,

"Scouts honour."

I raised a brow,

"You were a scout?"

He snorted,

"Of course not, now get in there and do me proud."

I shook my head, the worst possible result of our relationship had occurred; I'd rubbed off on him.

I'd hoped he would rub off on me, not the other way around.

I sighed,

'_Leah you're such a bad influence.'_

Whilst I thought this, Edward was already dragging me into the school, gently pulling on my arm causing the souls of my shoes to drag along the slippery surface of the wet concrete floor.

"But what if I fail and disappoint you?"

He looked back and grinned,

"Then it's over love."

I shot him a dirty look, and made no effort to walk, but in the end I needn't have bothered because he ended up carrying me into the office. We were introduced to a bored looking young receptionist who sat at her desk in a comfortable slouch, totally focussed on her computer screen.

Edward put me down before taking my hand and leading me into the office.

"Excuse me,"

The lady's eyes shot up and suddenly they moulded and softened as they were met with Edward's presence. I rolled my eyes, this happened more often that not and I had to admit it really pissed me off. Couldn't other girls and even women keep their eyes to themselves? And to make things worse, as soon as they noticed him, I suddenly became non-existent. It had happened many times before and it was certain to be repeated once more in this scenario.

"Hello" she said, sitting up straighter and subtly fixing her shirt so her chest became more apparent.

I sighed,

'_Oh boy, here we go…'_

"My name is Stacia; I'm the new assistant secretary."

'_Ahh yes, they always start with the life-stories.'_

Edward merely nodded politely, though I noticed the glint of humour in his eye which indicated that he'd heard my thoughts. However the lady interpreted it as a flirtatious smirk and sat up even straighter with her chest practically thrusting outwards.

"How may I help you?"

I frowned, surely her voice had lowered a few octaves…

"I'm scheduled to do a re-take for Mr Alan's class, I'd like to know the room that it's in?" I said, crossing my arms over my chest.

'_Wait for it…'_

"Oh hello there, sorry what was that?"

I sighed. Of course, she _just_ realised I was there.

'_Oh this is painful._'

"The lady would like to know which room her re-take is scheduled to be in."

"Oh_, oh right, _well let me just check on the system_, _if you would please give me your details_." _

I told her the information she needed, and she typed it in, her gaze reluctantly leaving Edward's face momentarily as she printed out the necessary information. She handed me the paper, though I didn't miss the narrowing of her eyes as Edward's arm wrapped around my waist. I smiled inwardly, but frowned as I read the paper.

"Room 14" I murmured folding the page in half and tucking it into my pocket.

"Thank you very much for your service." Edward said with a smile. _Stacia_ melted in the seat and I could hear the pound of her heartbeat and she stared at him longingly whilst he steered me towards the door. I shook my head, but said nothing as we headed towards the room.

We walked across the empty corridors that were usually filled with bustling teenagers and the sound slamming lockers and feverish chatter. When we finally reached the classroom, I froze before the door and my own heartbeat began to speed up to a hundred beats per minute. My palms began to moisten and once again I shifted my weight from foot to foot nervously.

"It's alright love, you'll be fine." Edward whispered into my ear.

I gulped, so much depended on my exceeding in this exam. If I had any hopes of being accepted into med school, I had to do well in what was essentially the most important subject for my career choice.

I nodded my head and turned towards him. He smiled and kissed my forehead.

"Good luck."

* * *

><p>I sat at the desk, staring at the sheet before me. I was still nervous, but I knew that I deserved at least some credit as I had studied the subject and knew the facts like the back of my hand. But would that be enough?<p>

I flicked the next pages and began to write. I wrote and wrote and wrote until I reached the end of the test, where I allowed myself to finally release a heavy breath. I set down my pen and ran my fingers through my hair. I looked up at the time; I had five minutes left.

After having quickly flicked through the pages, I arose from my seat and headed towards Mr Alan's desk. Mr Alan was my strict, old-fashioned biology teacher who looked down upon everything modern, and repeatedly commented on the behavioural defects of the younger generation. He was passed middle age and saw things under a very grey, negative light. But he was also wise, and one of the few individuals who showed any indication of knowing the truths concerning the so-called legends of the tribe.

When I reached his desk, I placed the test onto its wooden surface and Mr Alan looked up leisurely from his newspaper.

"I've finished." I stated, holding my shaking hands behind my back. He squinted at me and adjusted his glassed, before taking the paper in his hands. He stared at it and then his eyes widened as he looked back at me once more.

"You wrote this test?"

I frowned, what was he trying to say? He saw me write it! I was the only one in the room!

I looked around and quickly checked that I was right.

'_Yep, we're alone.'_

"Yes I did write it, _just now actually_." I said through gritted teeth.

He nodded,

"Your script has significantly altered Clearwater."

I furrowed my eyebrows and leaned over, taking a glimpse at the paper. I realised suddenly that my handwriting had changed. It looked neater and more accurate; like a font rather than a script written by hand.

'_Huh, maybe Edward has rubbed off on me.'_

"Yeah well, I try."

He ignored my response and immediately got to work, marking each page thoroughly and nodding whenever he especially approved of a point. He wrote short comments beside particular questions, and by some he wrote longer paragraphs. I sighed and looked up at the clock; why was he taking ages?

"There, now I'm finished."

He stood up and handed me the paper by hand. I gulped as I took it and looked down. Slowly I flipped it over and then…

I gasped

"Oh wow! A hundred per cent?"

I squealed.

Mr Alan nodded and his lips stretched out oddly. He was _smiling_.

"Well done Clearwater, you've redeemed yourself and gotten the highest score I've ever given."

"Oh wow, I can't believe this!"

I clutched the paper close to my chest.

"Thank you so much Mr Alan!"

"Don't thank me, thank yourself, you obviously put a lot of effort into studying for this. You deserve it Leah."

I nodded,

"Thanks"

I rushed out of the classroom, my pumps slipping on the glossed floor as I skidded across the corridor. I stopped at the office, but he wasn't there and so I followed my senses to the entrance of the school.

There he stood, leaning against the door on his shoulder whilst he held a hand up to his ear. I soon realised he was speaking on the phone and I slowly approached him, though I knew he was already aware of my presence. He cut his conversation short. And turned towards me and immediately I frowned.

"Well how did it go?" he asked calmly, taking hold of my hands with his cold grip.

I sighed,

"Not well, I only got… a hundred per cent!"

Edward laughed and pulled me into a tight embrace.

"Leah that's fantastic!"

I nodded, burrowing my face into his shoulder.

"I couldn't have done it without you." I said and he pulled us apart holding my forearms.

"_You_ did this Leah, I didn't. I knew you could and yet again I was proven right."

He grinned as I rolled my eyes, but then he was soon surprised as I pulled him by the collar and connected my lips to his.

"How inappropriate, you're still on school property."

We quickly pulled apart, and I turned to face our intruder.

It was Jacob.

"Hey Jake, what are you doing here?"

He pointed towards Edward,

"I just called him and asked where you were, I needed to tell you something."

I paused, perplexed over the fact that Jacob had Edward's number. I shook my head and refocused on to the conversation.

"Well can't it wait? I just got my result for the re-take."

Jacob's eyes lightened,

"How did it go?"

I smiled

"I got a hundred per cent!"

He snorted,

"A hundred per cent of what; incorrect answers?"

I frowned and wacked him on the arm

"Ow, you didn't have to do that." he said rubbing his arm in false pain. I shook my head at him.

"You're right, she should have done it harder." I smiled up at Edward and he took me into a one-armed hug.

"You know, Leah that's no way to treat your alpha."

I raised by eyebrows in surprise,

"Did you just say-,"

"Yep, I just got back from the meeting with the elders. They dismissed Sam from his position and proposed that I take my rightful place… and I accepted."

I gasped,

"Really?"

"Well hell yeah! The guy's a jerk, and after what he did to you-,"

I frowned and my eyes widened, sending a silent message to Jake and praying that he would shut the hell up.

It was too late, I realised this as soon as my eyes lay upon Edward's sudden frown.

"Wait, what did he do to you Leah?"

I sighed,

'_Thanks a lot Jake.'_

I turned to face the worried vampire whose eyes had already began to darken, he clenched his jaw and his gaze flickered to Jacob. I winced, he was probably reading Jake's mind.

"Edward, it's nothing really." I paused and couldn't help but remember what had occurred when I'd arrived at my house that day. Sam had hit me and gripped onto my arms so harshly they were bruised for the entire upcoming day.

"He hurt you." Edward hissed. It was a statement, not a question for he already knew it was a fact from my thoughts.

I groaned.

"Please don't, it's done now, it doesn't matter."

"He hurt you Leah, he hurt _my_ girl."

I moaned, that sounded so hot with his voice. Too bad now wasn't the time to be thinking about how sexy he was…

"Wait so you didn't tell him?" Jacob chuckled. "Well, I guess I'll be on my way. I'll try to act surprised when I see you rip Sam apart, but just know dude, for once I am on your side." Jacob left on his motorbike and I mumbled curses under my breath, my eyes glaring at the skid marks his bike has left behind on the smooth ground.

He had just made things worse.

"Edward, don't listen to him-,"

"How dare he hurt you? How dare he lay a finger on you! You did nothing wrong, the prejudice he holds is against me, and so I will face him and see if he's brave enough to threaten me personally."

I sighed,

'_God he's so hot.'_

I shook my head out of those thoughts.

"No wait, don't. Edward listen to me, Sam doesn't mean anything to me anymore. What we have here is special and far more important than that asshole; he doesn't even deserve your time. Look I'm fine now, no, more than fine; I'm ecstatic. Sam's lost his position as alpha to Jacob and in the end he couldn't stop me from being with you, that's what matters, the fact that we won in the end."

Edward looked down at me, his eyes slowly returning to their fluorescent gold glow. He gently stroked my cheek with his hands and placed a kiss on my forehead.

"Te amo." He murmured against my lips.

"I love you too." I said with a grin. "Which reminds me, I've been meaning to ask you for some Spanish lessons…"

Edward laughed but avoided an answer by kissing my lips and then walking away.

I frowned,

"Hey, where are you going?"

He turned around and shrugged.

I shook my head,

"You're going after Sam aren't you?"

He stopped beside his car and leaned against it, tucking his hands into the front pockets of his jeans.

"He hurt you Leah, no way is he getting away with it, I'll give him exactly what he deserves for messing with a parasite's lover."

I smirked, and joined him.

"You, know, strangely enough, I think I'm ok with that…"

I stopped as he turned and opened the car door for me.

"…Under one condition."

Edward looked back at me with a glint of humour in his eyes.

"And what would that be love?"

I smiled and ran my hands through his hair, letting them trail to the smooth surface of his face and then to his throat where I wrapped my arms around his neck.

"I get to watch."

**THE END**


End file.
